Ottawa - The federal government has allocated about 1.5 billion dollars to compensate Indigenous peoples who were without clean drinking water, as a result of a lawsuit. Win Monias, leader of the Neskantaga First Nation in Ontario, said that the children for 27 years have never known clean water.

Community member Roy Monias said he is only entitled to claim compensation for six years. Monias said: The water treatment plant in Neskantaga is still incomplete, "and our people have lost hope in this project." He said: "The Canadian government must be held accountable for the abuses to this community."

The settlement will compensate people living in communities that were consulted about drinking water for at least one year between November 1995 and June 20, 2021. Dorine Spence, chief of Tataskweyak, said the class action lawsuit aims to raise federal government awareness of the injustices faced by Indigenous peoples.

The lawsuit was initiated by Neskantaga First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, and Tataskweyak Cree Nation in 2019. The court approved a settlement agreement on December 22, 2021. But representatives of those communities invited to speak at the Thursday press conference said people are still suffering.

Sharon Sakani, health director at Neskantaga, said people came to the nursing center with rashes caused by the water. She said: "We were asked to use bottled water for bathing, cooking, and cleaning, and this is unacceptable."

Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said individual compensation will never make up for the damage done to people's lives, but she added that the government's commitment of at least 6 billion dollars through the settlement aims to end the conflict.

President Monias said: "If we want to build reconciliation, we must address these basic rights of individuals." Trudeau’s government promised to end all long-term water advisories.