Thread by @jnoisecat

A piece I wrote four years ago about Indigenous rights, land and modern treaties in Canada is making the rounds again. I’m tickled because I think it’s relevant to the climate and land use conversation stoked by the IPCC. Here’s why, in a little thread: theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Canada is a natural resource economy—particularly in its north and west where Indigenous peoples are a significant minority. Resource extraction damages the boreal forest, contributes to warming and creates major environmental and public health ills.

Indigenous peoples have, for generations, been fighting for the return of our rights to our lands. That fight has often put us at odds with federal and provincial governments on the one hand and corporations in the other.

In the last few decades, we have been winning those campaigns, restoring our rights and protecting vulnerable environments in the process.

In short, Indigenous rights have become de facto environmental strategy where markets and governments have failed.

Recognizing Indigenous peoples are a barrier to development, corporations and governments have adopted strategies and policies to co-opt self-determination and open up lands to development.

The BC treaty process, which my own First Nation is engaged in, is a classic example.

Rather than fighting Indigenous peoples endlessly in the courts, more enlightened governments could empower our nations as environmental stewards.

As the IPCC has made clear, we got some land issues to figure out.

Indigenous peoples have some solutions.