B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 indigenous peoples are becoming climate refugees because of mismanagement of water resources, says B.C. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip.
Phillip, leader of the Penticton Indian Band, said natural events such as the flooding this spring across the Okanagan is becoming the norm rather than the exception.
香蕉视频直播淲e see fires and floods, many people evacuated from their homes. We have seen flood levels (in the Okanagan) that exceed 1948 records and there is still a lot of snow in the higher elevations yet to melt,香蕉视频直播� Phillip said.
香蕉视频直播淭he way we are going, we see year after year, a trajectory for the earth getting hotter and hotter香蕉视频直播e have some serious work ahead of us.香蕉视频直播�
Phillip made the comments Tuesday morning in his opening remarks to the Okanagan water forum titled Forward Thinking: Syilx Knowledge Informing Watershed Planning, hosted by UBC Okanagan.
He was critical of the province香蕉视频直播檚 past record for environment management of not having 香蕉视频直播渟tellar success香蕉视频直播� and how everyone must work together and share their knowledge to come up with better solutions.
香蕉视频直播淲e come together and have meetings about this and give lip service to talk about reconciliation, but then everyone retreats back to their offices and fall back on the same old policies,香蕉视频直播� Phillip said.
香蕉视频直播淭hose policies have not been effective. We have to start doing something about that.香蕉视频直播�
He applauded the efforts of indigenous people, from the elders and knowledge keepers to a younger, educated generation advocating for change while gaining a greater appreciation for their own cultural heritage beliefs about how water has to be shared by all living things, not just as a means for resource extraction.
Phillip said politics is part of that greater solution, recognition of the rights of the indigenous people from both the federal and provincial governments.
He said the provincial Liberals did little to pursue reconciliation which makes it difficult for any inter-jurisdictional discussions, such as watershed management, from going forward.
On Tuesday afternoon, one sign of optimism for Phillip was shown under the minority government deal struck by the Greens and NDP, as both parties will recognize the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the 94 recommendations of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Truth and Reconciliation agreement.
Phillip also chastised the new water strategy initiative by the City of Kelowna to bring local irrigation districts under the city香蕉视频直播檚 umbrella.
香蕉视频直播淲e sent the city a letter saying excuse me but we have constitutional rights concerning the water supply and we need to be engaged in any discussions going forward about the management of water,香蕉视频直播� Phillip said.
香蕉视频直播淭here has been no significant response to our letter and therein lies the problem.香蕉视频直播�
He said the government enclaves and policies that shut out the rights of indigenous peoples in B.C. more than 140 years ago remain in place.
香蕉视频直播淪omehow we have to work together with everyone香蕉视频直播檚 interests taken into consideration. I can香蕉视频直播檛 stress enough how important that is. It香蕉视频直播檚 disturbing to see how we are all the proverbial frogs in the pot and bubbles are starting to pop up, and we need to realize it will start to boil if we don香蕉视频直播檛 get our act together.香蕉视频直播�
