She香蕉视频直播檚 not old enough to get her learner香蕉视频直播檚 permit, but Autumn Peltier has been a driving force in the fight to protect water in Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Indigenous communities for years.
The teenage activist from Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island in northern Ontario has been engaged in the issue since she first came across a boil-water advisory in a nearby Anishinaabe community when she was eight years old.
But Peltier said she香蕉视频直播檚 had this connection since she was in the womb, where according to cultural teachings, one learns to love water as they love their mother. It traces back even further to her female ancestors, from whom she inherited her traditional role as a water carrier.
As she turns 15 on Friday, the same day students across Canada are expected to march in a massive strike intended to disrupt climate-change inaction, Peltier finds herself at the forefront of an environmental movement being led by youth like her and Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
This weekend, Peltier 香蕉视频直播� the chief water commissioner for Anishinabek Nation, which advocates for 40 member First Nations in Ontario 香蕉视频直播� will return to the United Nations to share her vision for a world in which everyone has access to clean water.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 willing to do my best to represent Canada and the Indigenous people and have a strong voice for our future,香蕉视频直播� she said by phone from New York.
香蕉视频直播淚 basically want to tell them about the importance of water from a cultural, spiritual level, and then try to tell them that it香蕉视频直播檚 time for action.香蕉视频直播�
Peltier is set to address hundreds of international guests on Saturday at the Global Landscapes Forum, a platform on land use backed by UN Environment.
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It香蕉视频直播檚 her second time speaking at the UN headquarters in Manhattan, having urged the General Assembly to 香蕉视频直播渨arrior up香蕉视频直播� and take a stand for our planet last year.
Peltier, who was nominated for the 2019 International Children香蕉视频直播檚 Peace Prize by the David Suzuki Foundation, has spread her message at hundreds of events around the world, her mother, Stephanie Peltier, said.
In 2015, Peltier attended the Children香蕉视频直播檚 Climate Conference in Sweden, and a year later, confronted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about his 香蕉视频直播渂roken promises香蕉视频直播� at a meeting of the Assembly of First Nations.
香蕉视频直播淪he has taken Canada香蕉视频直播檚 water crisis on Indigenous lands to the global stage,香蕉视频直播� Robert Nasi, executive director of the Global Landscapes Forum, said in a statement.
Peltier will help kick off the forum香蕉视频直播檚 conference on ecosystem restoration with a speech drawing on her spiritual knowledge about Indigenous Peoples香蕉视频直播� connection to land, water and Mother Earth.
The event comes on the heels of the UN香蕉视频直播檚 Climate Action Summit, where earlier this week 16-year-old Thunberg delivered an impassioned plea and scolded world leaders for their inaction on climate change. Thunberg is expected to attend Friday香蕉视频直播檚 climate protests in Montreal.
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Peltier had hoped to meet up with Thunberg in New York, but said making plans proved to be difficult. She香蕉视频直播檚 still excited to connect with other international youth activists, particularly those from Indigenous communities.
Peltier feels her generation is leading the charge on climate change, because while they may not have created the problem, they香蕉视频直播檙e poised to suffer the most severe consequences.
香蕉视频直播淲ill we even have a future to look forward to, for our future children, grandchildren?香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭his is our future we香蕉视频直播檙e trying to protect and take care of, because it香蕉视频直播檚 being basically destroyed.香蕉视频直播�
With youth-led climate strikes sprouting up across the globe, Peltier香蕉视频直播檚 mother said there are signs that adults are finally catching up.
香蕉视频直播淲here I come from, the youth are our teachers. We learn from them, and so you have to listen to them,香蕉视频直播� Stephanie Peltier said. 香蕉视频直播淭oday, I think it香蕉视频直播檚 just an eye-opener, and the youth are being empowered and they香蕉视频直播檙e being allowed to share.香蕉视频直播�
She said her daughter香蕉视频直播檚 Instagram audience has seen a tenfold increase this week from 5,500 followers to more than 55,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
She assumes that Thunberg香蕉视频直播檚 moment in the global spotlight may be a factor in this exponential growth. She noted that young Indigenous activists have long been advocating for environmental issues, but are only now receiving recognition.
香蕉视频直播淲e know first hand 香蕉视频直播� that our people have been impacted for many years,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淣ow everybody香蕉视频直播檚 saying, hey, what about the Indigenous people? They香蕉视频直播檝e been doing this work too.香蕉视频直播�
Adina Bresge, The Canadian Press
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