Why this and why now?

Current environmental legal frameworks still allow human exploitation of nature. Water quality and biodiversity are degrading at an alarming rate as part of the climate crisis. This demands that we take a hard look at how we view and interact with the natural world. Throughout history, colonization and capitalism have prioritized extraction and exploitation of natural resources. It's time for us to change course and embark on a different path.

Canada’s First Peoples have always considered natural elements such as rivers as living entities and strived for a balanced, respectful relationship with nature. Several of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) calls to action touch on the protection of nature and the environment, emphasizing the critical need to incorporate Indigenous viewpoints and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into environmental decision-making.