Canada Votes 2025

Each week until the lead up of the federal election, April 28, The Expositor is posing a question to each of the six candidates running to be the next MP of Sudbury East-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt. The Expositor did not hear back from Green Party candidate Himal Hossain.

The question is as follows: 

On Manitoulin Island, the majority of First Nations communities enjoy reliable clean water through modern water treatment systems although even here, until the completion of its water treatment plant, Zhiibaahaasing First Nation has been and remains on a drinking water advisory.

At this moment, across Canada there are 33 First Nations communities without a safe and secure water supply. 

If the party you represent is successful in forming the next government, how will it address this basic inequity for these Canadian communities? What would be the time frame your government would commit to accomplish this task completely?

Jim Bélanger, Conservative

Our Conservative Party is committed to reverse the disastrous and unconstitutional Carney-Trudeau Liberal radical policies that have killed resource projects and blocked prosperity for First Nations communities. Bill C-69 will be trashed to ensure the clear passage without unnecessary delay for resource projects that have hurt the Indigenous communities. Pierre Poilievre has stated clearly, “we have trillions of dollars of resource wealth right beneath our feet and in many cases, it belongs to First Nations peoples and communities. We will rapidly approve LNG (liquid natural gas) plants, pipelines and mines, and by partnering with First Nations to develop our world class resources, we will bring home powerful paycheques.”

As I have been out meeting with our friends on Manitoulin Island it is clear they are looking forward to change and building on their own prosperity.

As your next MP for Sudbury-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt, I will be your strongest advocate for healthy and prosperous community living in our riding for the Indigenous families, friends and neighbours.

Andréane Chénier, NDP

First Nations across Northern Ontario, including Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, deserve clean drinking water. When drinking water systems have issues, like we saw in Calgary and Montreal in recent years, they are resolved in a matter of days or weeks. This is not the case for First Nations communities in Ontario, where some have been waiting over 30 years for clean drinking water.

I’ve seen how the Liberal government made so many empty promises—they haven’t treated this like the emergency it is. In 2015, the Liberals promised to end the long-term boil water advisories by the end of March 2021. They let people down.  

They even hired lawyers to fight 59 First Nations in court over their failure to provide clean drinking water, claiming that First Nations don’t have a right to clean drinking water. They’ve also argued that when a Minister makes a promise, it’s not meant to be taken seriously.

Now, Mark Carney has promised deep cuts—cuts that will deeply hurt First Nations communities.  

So much of this clean drinking water crisis comes from decades of federal government inaction. This is a federal issue—and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was a part of the Conservative government that chose to do nothing. They made callous cuts that hurt Indigenous people and communities even deeper.  

As your MP, I will fight tooth and nail to ensure First Nations in Northern Ontario have the water-treatment infrastructure needed, and make sure it’s maintained, which means more good-paying jobs in the community, opportunities for young people and a healthier community.  New Democrats want to invest, quickly, to speed this up. Ten years is too long. New Democrats will fight for action—quickly.

Justin Leroux, Libertarian

Here is my response, First Nation communities are a huge priority of mine as they have been systemically ignored and disrespected.  

Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, yet in 2025, we still have First Nations communities across Canada living without it. This isn’t just an oversight; it’s a longstanding failure by successive governments, Liberal and Conservative alike, who continue to make promises they don’t keep. It’s unacceptable and disrespectful.

Right here on Manitoulin Island, Zhiibaahaasing First Nation remains under a drinking water advisory, even after years of waiting. Thirty-three other communities across the country are in the same situation — some for decades. This is not a technical problem. It is a political one, caused by a system that centralises power and creates artificial government dependency instead of empowering people.

The Libertarian Party believes the solution isn’t more bureaucracy. It’s more autonomy. When communities are given real authority, direct funding, and the tools to build and maintain their own infrastructure, they succeed. We are calling for a third level of government—a sovereign First Nations government—with constitutional standing, so Indigenous communities no longer have to plead with Ottawa for basic necessities.

As your candidate, I believe in treating people with dignity. That means supporting clean water access through community-led solutions, built with local knowledge, and funded directly—not through layers of red tape. A Libertarian government would make this a national priority, working with First Nations to eliminate all drinking water advisories within two years, with full transparency and accountability.

I will always stand up for our First Nations communities. The fact that a vital requirement for life is not being met is a symptom of a government that continues to ignore the rights and freedoms of our First Peoples. If I’m sent to Ottawa, I will fight to build honest, respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and ensure they have the rights, the tools and a true process for reconciliation—not more delays and broken promises.

Issues like this are unacceptable. Imagine a Canada where our First Peoples can thrive. Imagine a Canada that puts people first—where we all live free from artificial dependency, and where no one is treated as a second-class citizen.

Marc Serré, Liberal

In 2015, our Liberal government made a clear commitment: to eliminate all long-term drinking water advisories on reserve. Since then, we’ve made real, measurable progress—143 long-term advisories have been lifted, including here in Northern Ontario, where communities like Zhiibaahaasing First Nation will soon benefit  from clean, safe drinking water when their infrastructure project is completed.

We know this work is not done. As of today, 33 long-term advisories remain, and the path forward requires continued nation-to-nation partnership, respect for Indigenous leadership, and sustained investments. Our goal remains unchanged: zero. We will not stop until every First Nation community has access to safe, reliable drinking water.

Rather than set an arbitrary end date, our approach is grounded in collaboration and capacity building—ensuring that new systems are not only built but maintained long into the future. Reconciliation is about actions, not just words, and delivering clean water is a vital part of that.

Should Canadians choose to re-elect a Liberal government, we will remain firmly committed to finishing this work in partnership with First Nation communities—because clean drinking water is a basic human right, not a privilege.

Shari St. Louis, People’s Party of Canada

Thank you for your question. As your People’s Party candidate, I am appalled that in 2025, many Canadian Indigenous communities still lack access to clean, reliable drinking water—a basic necessity. This crisis exists alongside broader struggles like rising inflation, homelessness, addiction, and poverty, affecting Canadians from all walks of life. I believe these issues, including the water crisis, reflect a lack of government commitment to prioritize its own people over funding overseas wars and projects.

The PPC has a clear platform to support Indigenous communities, with five key actions: 1. Replace the paternalistic Indian Act with a framework that empowers communities; 2. Uphold the Constitution and honour existing Treaties; 3. Explore on-reserve property rights to foster economic independence; 4. Promote service ownership on reserves, including water infrastructure; and 5. Review federal spending to ensure funds directly benefit Indigenous people, not just bureaucratic overhead.

The PPC is dedicated to putting Canada first, ensuring no Canadian goes without essentials like clean water while our resources are diverted abroad. We’re committed to real solutions, not just empty promises.

Our full platform regarding Indigenous issues can be found at peoplespartyofcanada.ca/issues/indigenous