Working towards Canada’s Water Agency and the Inclusion of the Indigenous Worldview of Water

It’s crucial that the Indigenous worldview of water be reflected in the new Canada Water Agency.

The federal Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and the Ministry of Agriculture are holding public consultations to help launch a new Canada Water Agency to manage freshwater across Canada. The goal of the Canada Water Agency is to “find ways to safeguard our freshwater resources for generations to come.”

It is important to note that Canada is home to a fifth of the world’s freshwater resources and Canadians rank water as the country’s most important resource.

Through our Environmental Conservation and Climate Change Office (ECCCO), NWAC was pleased to be part of the initial consultations in these very important discussions. Individual discussions took place with 28 Indigenous women from across the country. These discussions included Elders, Water Keepers, Knowledge Keepers, people who work in the environmental and water sectors, academics, and youth.

“Water is a source of all life, not a resource.”

Every participant expressed a holistic Indigenous worldview that “water is a source of all life, not a resource.” It’s essential to all life on earth. Once cannot separate water from land, because where water flows and where there are bodies of water, there is land underneath. To many Indigenous women and their communities, water is a living entity with a spirit.

Many participants spoke of their responsibilities towards water. They noted that in their ceremonies—which have been handed down through the generations since time immemorial—water requires caretaking and acknowledgement as a living being.

ECCCO invites you to further discover the Indigenous worldview of water on our newly created water page. You will find videos, stories, art, dance, and photos to help you explore the importance of water to Indigenous Peoples.