Julie Lopez, Legal Intern for Ecovision
In Canada, biodiversity is in crisis. Between 1970 and 2014, mammal populations dropped 43 percent, amphibian and reptile populations dropped 34 percent, and fish populations declined by 20 per cent. Monitored populations of birds have dropped even more: grassland birds dropped 69 percent, aerial insectivores fell 51 percent, and shorebird populations declined by 43 percent.[1]
While these numbers are staggering on their own, as of 2022 they are also outdated. Not only do we lack accurate data on the current state of biodiversity, we also unable to quantify the true magnitude of losses.
Factors such as habitat loss, land use changes, pollution, invasive species and climate change are well-known drivers of the biodiversity crisis.[2] Not as obvious is the key role that colonialism plays in driving this crisis.[3]
Colonialism and the biodiversity crisis
Colonialism has driven the biodiversity crisis in Canada because the forceful removal and displacement of Indigenous Peoples from their ancestral lands by settlers removed them from their role as stewards that protected nature for thousands of years. Further, Indigenous Peoples have been compulsorily excluded from meaningful decision-making around conservation and development, because the colonial view of nature protection is the only one considered.[4]
The colonial mindset on conservation and resource development in Canada does not value the health and well-being of nature. The ideal in colonial conservation is a romanticized vision of empty, untouched wilderness that is devoid of human influence,[5] even as land, water, flora and fauna are viewed as infinite resources that can be developed, indefinitely.
According to the Indigenous Circle of Experts in the 2018 We Rise Together report, Indigenous Peoples have a different worldview: one by which humans have a reciprocal relationship with the land, water, and all living beings, where nature is not a resource for extraction nor merely a back-drop for recreation. That reciprocal relationship is central to human survival and prosperity.[6] Indigenous knowledge systems date back to time immemorial[7] and have adapted to environmental change over thousands of years.
Reconciliation: Non-negotiable to halt and reverse biodiversity loss
Amid unfolding ecological, economic, political, and cultural catastrophes, these Indigenous values are increasingly appealing to as an alternative to the colonial attitudes that have led to the biodiversity crisis.
Efforts are already in place that reflect these values, including the Indigenous Guardians and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas programs. In 2021, the federal government announced that it would commit a further $340 million over the next five years to support these efforts.[8]
The Indigenous Guardians program supports Indigenous land management and stewardship in their territories based on a cultural responsibility for the land.[9] The program provides training and career opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to work as equal partners with governments and industry to protect and manage their land and resources.
Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) are lands and waters where Indigenous governments have the primary role in protecting and conserving ecosystems through Indigenous laws, governance, and knowledge systems.[10] Because Indigenous Peoples have a multi-generational view on stewarding their territories, an IPCA represents a long-term commitment to conserve lands and waters for future generations.[11] As youth across Canada are taking various levels of government to court for inaction or insufficient action to address the climate crisis, Indigenous-led action represents a real path forward to a better future.[12]
Where we need to go
To halt and reverse biodiversity loss in Canada, it is imperative that Indigenous sovereignty is fully recognized and that Indigenous rights are upheld.[13] While the federal government has recognized that “reconciliation is an ongoing process that occurs in the context of evolving Indigenous-Crown relationships” and that “Indigenous self-government is part of Canada’s evolving system of cooperative federalism and distinct orders of government,”[14] all levels of governments must move beyond these statements and fully implement Canada’s commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.[15] It is critical that we reject the colonialist values that have led to the biodiversity crisis, and instead look to Indigenous knowledge systems for guidance and Indigenous-led action to drive nature protection.
[1] WWF-Canada, “Living Planet Report Canada: A National Look at Wildlife Loss” (2017), online: World Wildlife Fund
＜wwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/LPRC-Executive-Summary.pdf＞.
[2] Ontario Biodiversity Council, “State of Ontario Biodiversity”, Ontario Biodiversity Council (2021) online: ＜sobr.ca/＞.
[3] Hazell et al, "Federal Halt and Reverse Workshop Proceedings" (Paper delivered at the Federal Halt and Reverse Workshop Proceedings, online, April 24 2022) [unpublished].
[4] The Indigenous Circle of Experts, “We Rise Together” report and recommendations, (March 2018), online: The Indigenous Circle of Experts ＜static1.squarespace.com/static/57e007452e69cf9a7af0a033/t/5ab94aca6d2a7338ecb1d05e/1522092766605/PA234-ICE_Report_2018_Mar_22_web.pdf＞ .
[5] Maia Wikler, “Indigenous Stewardship is true Conservation: We Need to Move Beyond Eco-Colonialism” (October 30 2022) online: Raven Trust, ＜raventrust.com/indigenous-stewardship-is-true-conservation-we-need-to-move-beyond-eco-colonialism/＞
[6] Supra note 4.
[7] Jessica Hernandez, Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Landscapes Through Indigenous Science, (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2022) at 13.
[8] Environment and Climate Change Canada, News Release, “Government of Canada announces $340 million to support Indigenous-led conservation” (August 12 2021) <www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/>.
[9] Canada, Parks Canada, Guardian and Watchmen programs, June 2022 update (Ottawa: Parks Canada, 2022) <www.pc.gc.ca/en/culture/autochtones-indigenous/gardiens-guardians＞.
[10] Supra note 4.
[11] Supra note 5.
[12] Zoe Keary-Matzner, “The Ford government is failing young people. So we took them to court”, Ecojustice (16 August 2022), online: <https://ecojustice.ca>.
[13] Supra note 3.
[14] Canada, Department of Justice, Principles Respecting the Government of Canada's Relationship with Indigenous Peoples, Electronic, Catalogue No J2-476/2018E-PDF (Ottawa: Department of Justice, 2018) at 9.
[15] United Nations (General Assembly), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) A/RES/61/295.
Photo: Province of British Columbia, flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos/, License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0