Little Southwest

On July 10, 2025, join First Nations Chiefs, Proxies, Council Members, Regional Chiefs, and technicians at the AFN National Forum on the Amended Bill C-5, One Canadian Economy. Learn more and register: meetings.afn.ca.

Generation Power Applications Now Open! @IndigClnEnergy Learn more and apply now: indigenouscleanenergy.com/our-programs/g… More details below.

Chiefs in Alberta and Ontario are condemning the premiers of those provinces for asking the federal government not to reintroduce First Nations safe drinking water legislation. aptnnews.ca/?p=273200

Our new website is up and running! Blogs and information on upcoming training coming soon - littlesouthwest.ca

"Salmon still exists here because we know how to manage them." 10,000 years of stewardship, and the Innu are still leading the way. ✊ Learn how the Innu Guardians combine ancestral knowledge with modern science to protect the land and heal their communities.🌿 bit.ly/3ZLSDl7

The 🇺🇸federal government announced a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of California that will be co-managed with tribes and Indigenous groups 🌊“Our elder, Pilulaw, who has passed into spirit✨, she said that if you want to pray, you should put your feet in the water, because the water will take your prayers all over the whole world,” Walker said, adding, “we’re praying for a better world. We’re praying that what we’re doing is going to make a difference.” news.mongabay.com/short-article/…

Funding for Indigenous Guardians is now Indigenous-led: thenarwhal.ca/indigenous-gua…

This is a tremendous resource: "Sovereign-to-Sovereign Cooperative Agreements." A repository of agreements between US tribes and federal and state governments, including co-management agreements, consent protocols, and much more. lib.law.uw.edu/cooperative/in… #indigenousrights

1/ The AFN is hosting its 3rd National Climate Gathering from October 8-10, 2024, on Treaty No. 7 Territory, in Calgary, Alberta, bringing together over 1,000 delegates to advance the AFN National Climate Strategy. Read the media advisory: ow.ly/EJiZ50TH1bs.

For the past 5 years, W̱SÁNEĆ youth have led the way in restoring the ancient reef net fishing method, connecting with their heritage and embracing its cultural significance. This revival is a powerful step in preserving W̱SÁNEĆ traditions. 🌅🛶

Exciting developments in Indigenous clean energy: 4 innovative Indigenous-led clean energy projects cbc.ca/news/science/w…

Great project here. As more Indigenous nations in Canada draft Child and Family Services laws following the federal Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, Youth and Families (Bill c-92), a comparative project like this would be valuable.

Kekka! (Look!) Are you ready for the unveiling of the 2024 Mi’kmaw History Month poster? This year we’re celebrating Mijipjewey Na Mawa’luksi’k (Food Gathers Us Together). Feast your eyes and let us know what you think! #mikmawhistorymonth mikmaqhistorymonth.ca

6/ If federal and provincial governments hope to meet their constitutional obligation to diligently implement historic treaties (also required under article 37 of UNDRIP), they will have to be prepared to engage meaningfully on issues such as those raised in the WLC position paper. #section35 #treatyrights #undrip

5/ In light of this, the position paper identifies 8 issues that must be addressed to give effect to the treaty right to hunt "as formerly" ➡️ Implementation of Douglas Treaty rights ➡️ Moving away from provincial concepts of W̱SÁNEĆ territory, which understate the size of the territory ➡️ Implementation of W̱SÁNEĆ court victories ➡️ Prioritization of W̱SÁNEĆ access to wildlife ➡️ Recognition of a W̱SÁNEĆ economic right to hunt ➡️The loss of W̱SÁNEĆ land and territory ➡️ Harassment of W̱SÁNEĆ hunters by conservation officers, municipal police and RCMP ➡️ Incorrect publicly available information about W̱SÁNEĆ rights

3/ in this way, the treaty incorporates W̱SÁNEĆ cultural practices, protocols, and laws associated with hunting, protecting a right to hunt as part of a distinct W̱SÁNEĆ way of life and free from interference.

2/ the paper emphasizes that the Douglas does not only protect W̱SÁNEĆ right to hunt, but a right to hunt "as formerly." This language is powerful, as it arguably protects not only a bare right to hunt, but to hunt in the way that the W̱SÁNEĆ signatories did at the time the treaty was signed.

The W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council @wsanecleaders has published a position paper outlining W̱SÁNEĆ Hunting Rights under the Vancouver Island, or Douglas, treaty. Available: wsanec.com/wlc-advocates-… The paper is interesting for a few reasons... A short 🧵 ⤵️

1/ The paper details how W̱SÁNEĆ hunting rights have been eroded over time and it does so through an analysis of historical materials, case law, and interviews with W̱SÁNEĆ hunters and knowledge holders.