By NASA Earth Observatory - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=40997, Public Domain
ENOCH CREE NATION— Indigenous leaders, legal experts, scientists and youth advocates from across Canada will gather in Alberta this spring for a national conference examining the impacts of oilsands tailings and the protection of water as a fundamental Indigenous and human right.
The two-day conference called “Tarsands Tailings Crisis: Protecting Our Water” is scheduled for March 25 and 26 at the River Cree Resort and Casino on Enoch Cree Nation, Treaty 6 Territory. The event is being hosted by Mikisew Cree First Nation and Keepers of the Water.
Organizers say the gathering will focus on health and environmental impacts linked to oilsands development, cumulative effects on land and water, and the role of Indigenous and Treaty rights in water protection. Sessions are also expected to examine federal and provincial legislation, including Bill 7 and Bill C-5, as well as accountability and potential paths forward.
Chief Billy-Joe Tuccaro is among the featured speakers. He is known for his advocacy on Indigenous rights, environmental protection and community wellbeing, and is expected to speak on governance, Treaty responsibilities and the impacts of resource development on Indigenous Nations.
The conference will be chaired by Bill Erasmus, a longtime Indigenous leader from Denendeh with more than three decades of experience advancing Indigenous rights and environmental protection. Erasmus previously served nearly 30 years as National Chief of the Dene Nation and held senior leadership roles with the Assembly of First Nations, including chair of the Chiefs Committee on Environment.
The keynote address will be delivered by Sharon H. Venne, a Cree legal scholar from Muskeg Lake Cree First Nation who has played a significant role in advancing Indigenous and human rights at the international level. Venne has advised Indigenous Nations globally and contributed to the development of key provisions within the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Youth perspectives will also be featured, including remarks from Miss Earth Canada 2025 Hailey Hamelin-Wilson, who is expected to speak on climate change, water protection and intergenerational responsibility.
Comments