I have recently come across an article reporting the Canadian government turning towards Indigenous communities in Quebec to meet its climate goals, in addition to further reconciliation. As a result, the federal government has granted $350 million to support the management of this large boreal forest located in Northern Quebec. The Canadian government has returned more of the forested lands to Indigenous groups so they could mitigate climate change by safeguarding its carbon sinks, protect forests and waterways, reduce the risks of forest fires and conserve wildlife. In the article, Mandy Gull-Masty, the grand chief of the Cree National Government, stated “[she has] seen a shift and an openness, particularly at the federal level, where [she thinks] they’re starting to understand that traditional knowledge acquired over sometimes millennia is as valid as Western science.”

This article reminded me of pages 108-109 in Louise Erdrich’s Books & Islands in Ojibwe Country where she is returning home. To Erdrich, it feels both familiar and disorienting. Unfortunately, she is faced with the news that Old Stalwart’s tree has succumbed to Dutch Elm disease and will be removed. This tree brought Erdrich a sense of connection to the land. Land to Indigneous peoples is viewed as sacred, furthering the historical and intimate knowledge they have of the land. Although Erdrich’s sustainable attempts to conserve the tree ultimately failed, the news article shows how the Canadian government is now acknowledging Indigenous peoples historical and intimate knowledge of the boreal forest zone.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/climate/canada-climate-change-indigenous-people.html