COP15: Indigenous leaders calling for more involvement in conservation plans
CTV
Indigenous leaders from Canada, Brazil and Indonesia say their voices are not being heard by delegates and lawmakers at COP15. They’ve repeatedly spoken out since the conference began to say funding is not enough, and to demand a greater role in conservation efforts.
Indigenous leaders from Canada, Brazil and Indonesia say their voices are not being heard by delegates and lawmakers at COP15. They’ve repeatedly spoken out since the conference began to say funding is not enough, and to demand a greater role in conservation efforts.
"They want to pick and choose what pieces of us to include,” said Ta'kaiya Blaney of the Tla'amin Nationon the west coast. “They want Indigenous knowledge to fix colonial problems, but refuse to end colonial warfare.”
Ta'kaiya Blaney says extraction and large-scale deforestation has continued in Canada despite Indigenous opposition.
She was among the Indigenous activists that staged a protest Tuesday during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speech to the conference.
Demonstrators held up a large banner which read "to save biodiversity ... stop invading our lands." A procession of singers carried hand drums and sang as they walked out of the room -- among the lyrics: "Canada is on stolen land."
The next day, Trudeau announced Ottawa will invest $800 million in four Indigenous-lead conservation projects.
