Dear Editor:

Re: Mayor Michi's statement

Mayor Michi’s words were beyond the pale and resignation was the only option, given that a large part of any mayoral mandate in our region involves almost constant negotiations with each of our two First Nations. 

That said, is there any truth to the alleged failure of Nawash and certain other first nations to properly manage their water infrastructure?  I know that a member of Nawash met with me last year with just those concerns.  There may be merit to the complaint.  The federal government is obliged to work with its aboriginal partners to supply clean drinking water.  Surely it is possible for those partners to occasionally fall down on the job, much as did the Koebel brothers in Walkerton.

Can the question at least be asked and investigated?   And if there are such deficits, can band councils not be held to account for any such failures in the same manner as the public would take any government to task?  And if not, why not?

An American president once warned against the “soft bigotry of low expectations”.  Chief Nadjiwon is a capable, strong leader and more than able to both investigate and explain any such failures on the part of past band councils.  Castigating an evident racist such as Michi is easy.  An actual slice of investigative journalism is the harder piece.

John Tamming

image: new water treatment plant Neyaashiinigmiing