I hope for a future where society genuinely values the voices and knowledge of those who have historically been undervalued and silenced. The current system of greed, supported by privileged people in developed nations and wealthy corporations, has degraded ecosystems in a way that negatively impacts communities made up of BIPOC people. This is called environmental racism and it is clearly unjust.
A way to support this vision of a more just future would be to vote for BIPOC candidates running in municipal, provincial, and federal elections (if they are committed to improving the health of ecosystems and/or people). Another intervention would be to conduct all operations that can have consequential impacts on the environment (e.g., resource extraction projects, energy project, conservation projects) to be made in full partnership with the Indigenous communities whose land would be affected by these projects. Today in Canada, the process of consulting Indigenous people is required for environmental projects, but it is flawed. We should not strive to merely consult these groups of people whose land we have stolen, instead we should be asking them for permission to conduct the economic activities we wish to pursue. We need a societal shift where Indigenous people are given back the rights to their land. Only then can we truly live in line with our "aspirations" of "reconciliation".
Hi Sarah, I agree that the way decisions are made concerning Indigenous people and resource extraction projects is deeply flawed and rooted in racism and a capitalist belief system. I really appreciate that you spelled out just how flawed the process of "consultation" is in regards to these projects. I still think the protocols and legislation around this is (purposely?) vague and confusing. It's time we fully involve Indigenous perspectives and values in these decisions and that we take their "vote" seriously and equally in these matters. Even when these communities are blatantly opposed during consultation, we move forward with project development anyways. This system needs to be uprooted completely.
Great post! I totally agree that projects should be made in full partnership with Indigenous communities and not just end with consulting them.
I really enjoyed reading your post! I have a similar view in bringing indigenous people into elective roles so their voices can be heard. If we want to go in the extreme route, I also don't see a problem if we gave veto power to indigenous party members.
Our current system definitely needs to change in order for marginalized communities to begin to thrive. Placing a greater importance on relational values instead of purely economic ones can help bridge the gap between Western and Indigenous values and lead to more productive conversations.
Hello Sarah! Nice points, thanks for sharing! I totally agree that more BIPOC candidates should be elected to positions making these environmental decisions since it affects these communities the most.