From global networks and large-scale projects to local, collective actions in communities, what creates a better world? As human development progresses, we must assess our practices and technologies — our holistic impact on the world around us. Examine global profiles of low-carbon, green, just economies, and integrate these lessons into your own communities.

1. WHY WATER
MATTERS
LESS THAN 1 PERCENT OF
WORLDS WATER IS
DRINKABLE….ITS A SOURCE OF
LIFE NOT A RESOURCE

2. CHIEF HARVEY LONGBOAT PROVIDED
THE INSPIRATION & GUIDING PRINCIPLE
FOR GWF
• WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
FROM THE PAST, REORIENT OUR RELATIONS, AND
BUILD A RELATIONSHIP BASED ON MUTUAL
RESPECT AND PARTNERSHIP IN THE SHARING OF
RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS LAND AND NATURAL
WORLD.. ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD MEAN THAT
WE UPHOLD OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND STRIVE
TO ACHIEVE BALANCE
• (IN EDITOR BLASER & FIET, ‘IN THE WAY OF DEVELOPMENT’ ET AL. 2004).

3. SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
THROUGH IK
NATIONAL ATTENTION TO WATER SECURITY AND
CLIMATE CHANGE IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
HIGHLIGHTS DIVERSE CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED BY
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN OBTAINING POTABLE WATER
THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT UP TO 72,000 PEOPLE
COULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY DRINKING WATER
ADVISORIES (DWAS) IN FIRST NATIONS AT THE START
OF 2017. IN 2016 ALONE, 133 BOIL WATER
ADVISORIES IN 90 INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WERE
ISSUED THAT AFFECTED OVER 50,000 PEOPLE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
2018 HAS SIMILAR STATS WITH LITTLE CHANGES TO
CURRENT ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER

4. • Bilateral training and education of TEK and WS is a core
element of study
• The primary concerns for
the two communities are:
I. The quality of their
drinking water
II. The ecological
integrity of their
source
III.Governance of these
waters.
IV.Monitoring sensors
co-creation
V. Impact on health &
wellbeing
GWF LED BY Indigenous Knowledge and
Community
PRIMARY Lead: Dr. Dawn Martin-Hill
Community

5. YOUTH BUILDING CAPACITY CRITICAL IN ANY SOLUTIONS
OFFERED TO ADDRESS WATER CRISIS
1) SENSOR TOOLS CO-CREATION
2)APPS REAL TIME SENSOR WATER MONITORING, IN TWO
LANGUAGES
3) TRAINING YOUTH IN WATER RESEARCH, TEK, BIOLOGY/SENSOR
MONITORING

6. ECOSYSTEM HEALTH
THE AIM IS TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE ON HYDROLOGIC PROCESSES, AND EXPLORING
THE AFFECTS ON THE WATER AND ECOSYSTEMS OF
THESE COMMUNITIES.
Why do FN not have clean water?
‘Reserves’ under Indian Act are federal domain and there
assimilation policy believed they would not return to
communities after residential schools and did not build
infrastructure.
FN cannot “borrow funds/ capital” as no equity of crown
“reserve” lands.
NO REGULATION FOR ON RESERVE
WATER; NO FUNDING FOR
TREATMENT OF WATER
NO PROTEECTIONS FOR SOURCE
WATER

7. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
I BROUGHT JOHN WILLIAMS EX-PROF-FOOTBALL PLAYER FROM TICATS
TO RUN A YOUTH SPORTS CAMP, WE DELIVERED WATER, TICATS
JERSEY’S AND PRODUCTS THE MUSLIM WOMEN FROM TOR0NTO
ORGANIZED FOR LUBICON GIRLS.
WE NEED TO REACH PEOPLE THROUGH WORKING WITH PEOPLE - NOT
POLICY
Little Buffalo
School,
Makasa
Looking
Horse with
Makasa
Ominayak &
friends

8. SOLUTIONS
• THE MOST INSISTENT THEME WE HEARD
FROM FIRST NATIONS WAS THAT THE CORE
PROBLEM WAS INADEQUACY OF RESOURCES:
MAINLY IN TERMS OF FUNDING TO RUN
WATER AND SEWAGE SYSTEMS, AND IN MANY
PLACES IN TERMS OF LONG WAITING LISTS
FOR CAPITAL FUNDING.
• TO A LESSER DEGREE, A SHORTAGE OF
TRAINED PEOPLE TO RUN SYSTEMS WAS A
CONCERN, AS WAS THE NEED FOR BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WATER SYSTEM
GOVERNANCE AT THE CHIEF AND COUNCIL

9. THE SCOPE OF DWA’S

10. YOUTH CAPACITY – ANY WORK WITH FN MUST INCLUDE
TRAINING AND ENGAGING YOUTH IN MIXED METHODS.
THE GOAL IS TO CREATE SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN WATER
RESEARCH. EACH LEAD WILL TRAIN YOUTH AND THEY
WILL RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE

11. WHAT YOU CAN DO
• 1) TRAINING MUST INCLUDE CULTURE - TEK – BUT LANGUAGE
SCHOOLS HAVE LITTLE FUNDING AND CREATE THEIR OWN ‘TEXTS’
NONE EXIST IN SCIENCE.
• SUPPORT CREATION OF LANGUAGE APPS/RESOURCES USING
MIXED METHODS TO ENCOURAGE TRAINING OF FN
• DEVELOPING ‘DOCTORS WITH OUT BORDERS’ TO SERVICES
ISOLATED FN COMMUNITIES SUFFERING FROM ILLNESS RELATED
TO NO ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
• DEVELOP WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS IN COMMUNITIES WITH
COMMUNITY TO ACCESS POTABLE WATERS – WELLS, MONITORING
SOURCE WATER AND GREEN TECHNOLOGY FOR SMALLER
COMMUNITIES
• PARTNER WITH FN WATER RESEARCHERS TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS NOT FUNDED BY RESEARCH OR GOVERNMENT DUE TO
STRICT REGULATIONS