I would like to take this time to congratulate the Ottawa Riverkeeper organization for their recent gala, which raised over $340,000.

The Ottawa River forms a boundary of the riding of Ottawa–Vanier. It is the lifeblood of the city, where we get our drinking water, where we fish, swim, boat, play and cool off. The river also connects us to the Indigenous people who have lived along, fished in and travelled on the Ottawa River for millennia. The name “Ottawa” itself derives from the Algonquin word “adàwe,” meaning “to trade.”

The gala paid special tribute to Algonquin elder Claudette Commanda, who thanked the organization for being collaborative and for respecting the Algonquin people and their heritage. Through many years of careless custodianship and lax environmental laws, the river has fallen into a polluted state. I recognize and appreciate the work done by the Ottawa Riverkeeper, whose goal is to ensure a healthy Ottawa River watershed for everyone.

For over 20 years, the Riverkeeper organization has been monitoring the health and the levels of pollution in the water and engaging and educating our youth to become the next generation of river stewards. These efforts all take a network of volunteers, compassionate staff and substantial donations to keep doing this work on behalf of our city’s residents.

I congratulate Riverkeeper Laura Reinsborough, her team, board chair Geoff Green and the organizing committee of the Riverkeeper gala for their tireless work and success.