Canada gets serious about water woes. Will Indigenous voices be heard? (2021, August 12). Christian Science Monitor. https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2021/0812/Canada-gets-serious-about-water-woes.-Will-Indigenous-voices-be-heard
This article discusses concerns around Indigenous peoples’ water, on their own land being extracted. A youth activist who is an Indigenous person of this area in Canada, Ontario, believes that “water is life”. Her and her people believe in their religion that it is only right to protect their water and right now they feel as if they do not have any voice among their government. They “are on the front lines of a new water fight in Canada” and hope to have some say upon the CWA which is trying to “modernize the water policy in Canada” due to concerns around climate change. The issue with this is that it opposes the indigenous people and communities beliefs of protecting the water that they have ownership of.
I personally think this is a very tough situation as Canada is trying to modernize and put new policies in place in order to change alongside the climate and to do what’s best for the environment overall. However, I also see how the indigenous people of Canada feel as if they have no voice in due to the fact that they are indigenous their belief is that they should have more power and control over the water that is there that the government is currently taking away from them. I think there’s a way that they can work together to both benefit the environment in order to limit the facts on climate change while also protecting the water for the indigenous people. I believe indigenous people are so set in their ways because it is what they morally believe is right due to their religion, however as are climate changes we need to learn to adapt and do what is best long run which I believe the Canadian government is trying to do.
I agree with your opinion. It is likely that water will become increasingly scarce in several areas of the world, so it is extremely important that governments and people adapt and mitigate to their situations. Do you think the best way for the Canadian government to negotiate water access from indigenous areas is through incentives such as health insurance or increased access to education?
I agree… I hope that the indigenous people can get there water, but I doubt Canada will let them have complete access to that water. Honestly, I could see Canada taking most of the water and leaving little for the indigenous people. Hopefully both groups can get along, but what do you the trends of resources being extracted from minority groups will continue,
and for what reasons?