As Long As The River Flows

Episode 19 - Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area's with Carrie Selin and Roy Auger

What- Taken from a Webinar previously posted on Youtube on January 12, 2023.

Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area's are lands and waters where Indigenous governments have the primary role in protecting and conserving ecosystems through Indigenous laws, governance and knowledge systems. Culture and language are the heart and soul of an IPCA. IPCA's vary in terms of their governance and management objectives. However, they generally share three essential elements: IPCA's are Indigenous-led, IPCA's represent a long- term commitment to conservation and IPCA's elevate Indigenous rights and responsibilities.

Who - Carrie Selin is an environmental consultant providing project management support to Indigenous Communities that includes engaging community, teams, and partners to successfully execute project plans. She has extensive experience in facilitation, program planning, engagement and communication that supports the development and delivery of Indigenous economic and environmental projects. She works collaboratively with Indigenous communities to build capacity, identify community priorities, and facilitate processes to solve challenges. Carrie Selin, B.Sc. Project Management & Stakeholder Engagement - Solstice Environmental Management.

Roy Auger is the Consultation Officer for the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement and regularly responds to and address's proponents looking to complete projects within our traditional lands.

Proponents that contact our office are mostly within the oil and gas industry, however, all projects including water, sewer, power, telecommunications and roadways are subject to the regulatory process, thus, they are obligated to seek our consultation when requesting project approval through the Alberta Government's Aboriginal Consultation Office.

Music - Song: If Only You Knew. Composer: Vorsa Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel UCU27SVe_x0TF8kyVDndguvg License: Free To Use YouTube license youtube-free Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com

Episode 18 - Part 3 - Bigfoot/Sasquatch Indigenous Wisdom Teachings - Dr Kevin Lewis

What- Taken from a Webinar previously recorded via Zoom on February 6th, 2025

Sasquatch, Sabe, Bigfoot – Known by Many Names Indigenous Wisdom Teachings Webinar Join us as we explore the mysteries of the land, water, and spiritual beings with esteemed Knowledge Holders.

Who- Dr. Kevin wâsakâyâsiw Lewis is a nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) instructor, researcher and writer. Dr. Lewis has worked with higher learning institutions within the Prairie Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in the areas of Cree Language Development and Instructional methodologies. His research interests include language and policy development, second language teaching methodologies, teacher education programming, and environmental education.

For the past 15 years, Dr. Lewis has been working with community schools in promoting land and language-based education and is founder of kâniyâsihk Culture Camps a non-profit organization focused on holistic community well-being and co-developer of Land-Based Cree Immersion School kâ-nêyâsihk mîkiwâhpa.

Dr. Lewis is from Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6 Territory.

Music - Song: Fading

Composer: Sappheiros

Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZVHXQZAIn9WJXvy6qn9K0

License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/3.0/

Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com

Episode 17 - Part 2 - Bigfoot/Sasquatch Indigenous Wisdom Teachings - Dr Kevin Lewis

What- Taken from a Webinar previously recorded via Zoom on February 6th, 2025

Sasquatch, Sabe, Bigfoot – Known by Many Names Indigenous Wisdom Teachings Webinar Join us as we explore the mysteries of the land, water, and spiritual beings with esteemed Knowledge Holders:

Who- Dr. Kevin wâsakâyâsiw Lewis is a nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) instructor, researcher and writer. Dr. Lewis has worked with higher learning institutions within the Prairie Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in the areas of Cree Language Development and Instructional methodologies. His research interests include language and policy development, second language teaching methodologies, teacher education programming, and environmental education.

For the past 15 years, Dr. Lewis has been working with community schools in promoting land and language-based education and is founder of kâniyâsihk Culture Camps a non-profit organization focused on holistic community well-being and co-developer of Land-Based Cree Immersion School kâ-nêyâsihk mîkiwâhpa.

Dr. Lewis is from Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 6 Territory.

Music - Song: Embrace Composer: Sappheiros Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZVHXQZAIn9WJXvy6qn9K0

License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/3.0/

Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com

Episode 16 - Part 1 - Bigfoot/Sasquatch Indigenous Wisdom Teachings - Issac Murdoch

What- Taken from a Webinar previously recorded via Zoom on February 6th, 2025

Sasquatch, Sabe, Bigfoot – Known by Many Names Indigenous Wisdom Teachings Webinar Join us as we explore the mysteries of the land, water, and spiritual beings with esteemed Knowledge Holders:

Who- Isaac Murdoch whose Ojibway name is Manzinapkinegego'anaabe Bombgiizhik is from the fish clan and is from Serpent River First Nation. Isaac grew up in the traditional setting of hunting, fishing and trapping. Many of these years were spent learning from Elders in the northern regions of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Isaac is well respected as a storyteller and traditional knowledge holder. For many years he has led various workshops and cultural camps that focuses on the transfer of knowledge to youth. Other areas of expertise include: traditional ojibway paint, imagery/symbolism, harvesting, medicine walks, & ceremonial knowledge, cultural camps, Anishinaabeg oral history, birch bark canoe making, birch bark scrolls, Youth & Elders workshops, etc. He has committed his life to the preservation of Anishinaabe cultural practices and has spent years learning directly from Elders.

Music - Song: Escape, Composer: Sappheiros, Website: https:// open.spotify.com/artist/5ZVHXQZAIn9WJXvy6qn9K0

License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode 15 - Part 3 - Water Knows No Boundaries: Releasing Toxic Tailings Ponds Won't Either

What - Webinar previously recorded via Zoom on October 4th, 2022

Join Keepers of the Water and Environmental Defence as they dive into the alarming findings of their report which mapped decades of the toxic takeover of Indigenous territories by "tailings ponds," massive reservoirs of oilsands wastewater.

In part 3 Jesse starts off by giving the audience some background the Dene Nation, and Ally poses questions from the webinar viewers to Jesse and Daniel. Then Ally wraps up the webinar with closing remarks

Then Daniel a resident of fort Good Hope and a retired lawyer speaks on the Tailings Ponds and the idea of controlled release of these Tailings into the Athabasca River

Who - Jesse Cardinal is from the Kikino Métis Settlement, where she grew up. She has seen many changes to the lands and waters in her life and a drastic decline in wildlife. She loves to listen to Elders talk about how the land was, even before she was born. Jesse has been a youth worker and social worker and has grown into the roles of coordinator and director for environmental groups.

Daniel T'seleie is K'asho Got'ine Dene from Radili Ko (Fort Good Hope). He is a retired lawyer who currently works with Indigenous communities and organizations on Indigenous rights and land protection issues. Daniel is also the N.W.T. Outreach Manager with Keepers of the Water.

Aliénor Rougeot Aliénor's interest for human and environmental rights started during her childhood in the South of France, where she became vocal on topics of biodiversity loss, women's rights, refugee rights and climate change.

Music - Soul Searcher by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Episode 14 - Part 2 - Water Knows No Boundaries: Releasing Toxic Tailings Ponds Won't Either

What - Webinar previously recorded via Zoom on October 4th, 2022

Join Keepers of the Water and Environmental Defence as they dive into the alarming findings of their report which mapped decades of the toxic takeover of Indigenous territories by "tailings ponds," massive reservoirs of oilsands wastewater.

In part two Jesse starts off by giving the audience some background into Tailings Ponds and the devastating effects on the environment.

Then Daniel a resident of Fort Good Hope and a retired lawyer speaks on the Tailings Ponds and the idea of controlled release of these Tailings into the Athabasca River

Who - Jesse Cardinal is from the Kikino Métis Settlement, where she grew up. She has seen many changes to the lands and waters in her life and a drastic decline in wildlife. She loves to listen to Elders talk about how the land was, even before she was born. Jesse has been a youth worker and social worker and has grown into the roles of coordinator and director for environmental groups.

Daniel T'seleie is K'asho Got'ine Dene from Radili Ko (Fort Good Hope). He is a retired lawyer who currently works with Indigenous communities and organizations on Indigenous rights and land protection issues. Daniel is also the N.W.T. Outreach Manager with Keepers of the Water. He helps raise awareness about N.W.T. issues and concerns concerning water and builds partnerships to protect water. Daniel has been advocating for action on climate change for over a decade. He is a novice trainer in non-violent direct action tactics and strategy focusing on environmental justice and Indigenous sovereignty.

Music - Sleep by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Episode 13 - Part 1 - Water Knows No Boundaries: Realeasing Toxic Tailings Ponds Won't Either

What - Webinar previously recorded via Zoom on October 4th, 2022

Join Keepers of the Water and Environmental Defence as they dive into the alarming findings of their report which mapped decades of the toxic takeover of Indigenous territories by "tailings ponds," massive reservoirs of oilsands wastewater.

Aliénor Rougeot, Climate and Energy Manager at Environmental Defence, will be joined by our host Jesse Cardinal, Executive Director of Keepers of the Water and local Kikino Métis.

In part one Jesse gives opening remarks by giving background to Keepers of the water and speaks briefly about the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.

Who - Jesse Cardinal is from the Kikino Métis Settlement, where she grew up. She has seen many changes to the lands and waters in her life and a drastic decline in wildlife. She loves to listen to Elders talk about how the land was, even before she was born. Jesse has been a youth worker and social worker and has grown into the roles of coordinator and director for environmental groups.

Aliénor Rougeot Aliénor's interest for human and environmental rights started during her childhood in the South of France, where she became vocal on topics of biodiversity loss, women's rights, refugee rights and climate change. These interests led her to the intersectional topic of climate justice, but it was only when she moved to Canada at the age of 17 that she truly understood the need for broad and collective mobilization for climate action.

Music - Hymn to the Dawn by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

Episode 12 - Doctor Makere Stewart Harawira speaks on Environmental Personhood

What - The "environmental personhood", or legal personhood, movement is a result of successive governments around the world failing to adequately protect the environment, as well as to the growing recognition of Indigenous Peoples' rights and Indigenous legal concepts (Lowrie, 2021; Westerman, 2019).

The movement acknowledges that environmental personhood exceeds the value to humanity. It is not that the people have a right to clean air, but that the air has a right to be clean (Parish, 2021). Rivers have become a central focus in the Rights of Nature movement.

Who - In episode 12 we hear from Makere Stewart-Harawira, a Professor in Indigenous, Environmental, and Global Studies in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta.

Her research focus: is climate change, freshwater governance, Indigenous knowledge systems, ethics and values in relation to integrative approaches to ecosystem and human-more-than- human wellbeing, multi species justice and planetary stewardship.

Dr. Stewart-Harawira is an Expert Member on a number of Commissions for the International Union for the Conservation including the Commission on Ecosystem Management, joint Specialist Group on Indigenous Peoples, Customary & Environmental Laws and Human Rights and is a National Board Member for Keepers of the Water, Canada.

Music -

by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

WHAT - 2023 was an un10recedented year for wildfires in the NWT with almost 70% of the population being evacuated to communities across the NWT and western Canada.

A state of emergency was called and 13 communities including Behchoko, Fort Smith, Salt River First Nation, Smith Landing First Nation, Jean Marie River, West Point First Nation, Hay River, K'atl'odeeche First Nation, Enterprise, Ndilǫ, Dettah, Yellowknife and Kakisa were evacuated.

The Dene Nation calls for the full independent public inquiry to begin as soon as possible. Dene authority and governance must be recognized and included in all response plans going forward.

This podcast was created from the WEBINAR: Dene Nation Speaks Out on the 2023 Wildfires Devastation and Why An Independent Inquiry Is Needed which was streamed live on Mar 11, 2024

Part Four - In Part Four, moderator Bill Erasmus discuss's the need for the people to reach out to the Commissioner of the North West Territories, to express their desire for an independent inquiry into the 2023 wildfires, then we hear closing statements from Chief Fred Sangris, Elder Francois Paulette, and Chief David Echinelle. Finally Jesse Cardinal from Keepers of the Water recaps the webinar and provides contact information for listeners to reach out to the Commissioner of the North West Territories.

Bill Erasmus - Mr. Erasmus was born in Yellowknife in 1954, and has spent much of his career in his homeland Denendeh. He acquired a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Alberta. Chief Erasmus' political expertise and strong leadership skills have brought significant change and advancement to all Peoples of the NWT (North West Territories).

Chief Fred Sangris - was born in the Yellowknife Bay area to parents Morris (Tia Chee) and Theresa Sangris Nee' Black and grandfather, David (olter'caulther) Kamelli Sangris – grandson of the famous 1860 chief of the Coppermine River, Nayatii. Fred is a part of the long-standing leadership from the Kemili/Sangris family lineage and is a direct descendant of Chief Nayatii of the Copper Mine River and the edge of the wood Yellowknives Dene.

Francois Paulette - A Denesuline and member of the Smith's Landing Treaty 8 First Nation Francois Paulette survived the residential school system before going on the become the youngest Chief in the NWT Indian Brotherhood in 1971.

Chief David Echinelle - Is a traditional Chief from Begade Shotagotine, he is a traditional knowledge keeper and respected Elder, who has worked to advocate for the rights and protection of Dene lands, language and cultural practices.

Jesse Cardinal is the Executive Director of Keepers of The Water and is from the Kikino Métis Settlement, where she grew up. She has seen many changes to the lands and waters in her life and a drastic decline in wildlife. She loves to listen to Elders talk about how the land was, even before she was born. Jesse

Music: 'Shoulders Of Giants' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

WHAT - 2023 was an un10recedented year for wildfires in the NWT with almost 70% of the population being evacuated to communities across the NWT and western Canada.

A state of emergency was called and 13 communities including Behchoko, Fort Smith, Salt River First Nation, Smith Landing First Nation, Jean Marie River, West Point First Nation, Hay River, K'atl'odeeche First Nation, Enterprise, Ndilǫ, Dettah, Yellowknife and Kakisa were evacuated.

The Dene Nation calls for the full independent public inquiry to begin as soon as possible. Dene authority and governance must be recognized and included in all response plans going forward.

This podcast was created from the WEBINAR: Dene Nation Speaks Out on the 2023 Wildfires Devastation and Why An Independent Inquiry Is Needed which was streamed live on Mar 11, 2024

Part three - In Part Three Trevor Teed starts off speaking on his experience as both an evacuee and an employee of Dene Nation dealing with the Territorial Government during evacuation and the Red Cross at the evacuee centre in Edmonton. Then Jesse Cardinal of Keepers of the Water opens the webinar to other Chiefs on the call who would like to speak to their experiences. Grand Chief Wilbert Kochon of the Sahtu speaks on the lasting impacts on his community from the 2023 wildfires and the lack of experience of those leading the evacuation efforts for the GNWT. Jesse Cardinal recaps other speakers emphasis on the long standing effects of climate change including fires and drought, Dene Nation employees Wilbert Cook and Sam Bullock speak on the lack of organization and the effects on the evacuees. Then Chief Frank Andrew of Toledo wraps up part three with his communities experiences during the 2023 wildfires and the importance of recognizing climate change and it's part in the 2023 wildfires.

Grand Chief Wilbert Kochon - Sahtu Dene Council Grand Chief and Dene Nation executive member

Chief Frank Andrew - was re-elected for another four-year term as chief of the Tulita Dene Band, in 2021

Trevor Teed - Lands and Environment director at Dene Nation, an evacuee and a Dene Nation employee who helped with evacuee response.

Wilbert Cook - Director of Housing at Dene Nation, an evacuee and a Dene Nation employee who helped with evacuee response.

Sam Bullock - Director of Fisheries at Dene Nation, an evacuee and a Dene Nation employee who helped with evacuee response.

Music: this too shall pass by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au