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Deploring unacceptable conditions in Neskantaga First Nation

On September 16 and 17, I was invited by Chief Gary Quisess to the community of Neskantaga First Nation, an Ojibwe community located on Attiwapiskat Lake in Northern Ontario, close to 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

It is shocking that in 2025, after decades of promises from federal and provincial governments, Neskantaga First Nation continues to suffer under unacceptable conditions, including boil-water advisories, a lack of education and inadequate access to health care.

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Protecting your rights for 50 years

It was 50 years ago, in March 1975, when Ontarians first learned they would soon have an Ombudsman to protect their right to fair treatment by public bodies.

On March 11, 1975, in a Speech from the Throne read by Lieutenant Governor Pauline McGibbon, the government promised to establish a “provincial ombudsman… to ensure the protection of our citizens against arbitrary judgment or practices.”

Read the Message from the Ombudsman

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News

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September 19, 2025

Ontario Ombudsman deplores unacceptable conditions in Neskantaga First Nation, calls for urgent action

Paul Dubé: “No community in a country as prosperous as Canada should have to endure what Neskantaga First Nation is facing”
September 15, 2025

MEDIA ADVISORY: Ontario Ombudsman to visit Neskantaga First Nation – September 16-17

Paul Dubé: “We want to observe, listen and help amplify the voices of the community”
September 2, 2025

Ombudsman marks 10 years of oversight of Ontario school boards

Paul Dubé: 9,000 cases handled to date; significant improvements in accountability since 2015