A webinar hosted by the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (NCCIH).
Webinar Description:
Climate change impacts, such as increased precipitation, flooding, and drought, can significantly affect the quality, quantity, and accessibility of water, exacerbating health risks and challenges already present in many Indigenous communities in Canada.
Considered life-giving and sacred by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, water is often used for ceremonial and cultural purposes. It is also needed to pursue cultural practices and livelihoods. Given the physical, emotional, and spiritual importance of water, greater Indigenous sovereignty is needed to protect Indigenous communities from environmental harms to the quantity, quality, and accessibility of water resources arising from climate change.
The webinar will include presentations by Dr. Kelsey Leonard, Dr. Deborah McGregor, Dr. Shannon Waters, and Dr. Trevor Bell who will highlight Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge of, connection to, and protection of water. By highlighting their respective work, they will showcase the interconnectedness of the health and well-being of waterways and Indigenous Peoples, as well as discuss how climate change adaptations rely on Indigenous knowledge and technologies to build greater community resiliency and water sovereignty.
Learning Objectives
- To recognize the interconnectedness between the health of waters and associated ecosystems and the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples
- To understand how climate change is impacting water safety, security, and practices for Indigenous communities
- To recognize Indigenous knowledge systems and their application to water and environmental governance within the context of climate change
- To gain knowledge on community-based adaptation tools and technology to monitor water safety within the context of climate change
Presenters:
Dr. Kelsey Leonard, Faculty of Environment (University of Waterloo) and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Waters, Climate and Sustainability
Dr. Deborah McGregor, Associate Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies & Urban Change (York University) and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice
Dr. Shannon Waters, Medical Health Officer (Island Health, BC)
Dr. Trevor Bell, Professor, Faculty of Geography (Memorial University of Newfoundland) and SmartlCE
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