Stewart Phillip on the Power Community Action

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip

President, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs

Without Water was an event to bring together Knowledge Holders, decision makers, and community members to develop a shared understanding of watershed challenges and current decision making processes. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip delivered a powerful keynote on breaking down barriers, taking meaningful action, and creating a vision for a better future for the next generation.

What We Heard at Without Water

Symposium output document

Event organisers posed a series of questions throughout Without Water that participants could anonymously answer in workbook format. These thoughts, along with direct quotes and conversations from the event, created the basis of this document.

The event brought to light seven key themes including how water is valued, connection to water, working collaboratively to solve problems, and acting amid uncertainty.

Without Water also tabled serveral calls to action: better incorporate Inigenous worldviews into water decision-making, support local water governance with sustained resources, and reduce information silos to ensure collaboration.

Ktunaxa Perspectives on Knowing Water

Kyle Shottanana

Councillor and Spiritual Advisor, Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi ‘it

Councillor Kyle Shottanana talks about the importance of preserving our ecosystems and the interconnectedness of ‘?a-kxam̓is q̓api qapsin’ (All Living Things). He talks about reconnecting and fostering a relationship with our environment to “feel the pulse of the river”.

The History of Fernie Drinking Water

Joanna Line

Project Engineer, City of Fernie

In this talk Joanna Line takes the audience on a journey through time from the perspective of Fernie drinking water. The presentation outlines some challenges Fernie has faced in the past, and some current challenges that face Fernie drinking water today.