Community of Practice, March 2025 Salish Fire Keepers Leona Antoine taught us about the work of the Salish Fire Keepers Society. Cultural burning brings traditional knowledge into practice, supporting land stewardship, food security, and cultural revitalization efforts. By applying the teachings of the Four Food Chiefs- Salmon, Bear, Bitterroot, and Saskatoon- along with other traditional knowledge, Leona and the Salish Fire Keepers are enhancing Indigenous values while protecting the land. Chief Marcel Shackelly pointed out how cultural burning can be effective in wildfire prevention and soil retention practices, showing how we can connect these ideas to the work of Indigenous monitoring and emergency management. “The Huckleberry Women and Grizzly Men recognized a lack of fire on the land. Decolonizing requires ceremony and traditional governance.” -Leona Antoine

Community of Practice, March 2025 Group Discussions Throughout the day, we broke into smaller groups to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and priorities for Indigenous Monitors today and into the future. We brainstormed practices, resources, and strategies to support and further this work, which is often but one of many responsibilities for monitors in service to their communities. We examined how Indigenous Monitoring will enable the development of Indigenous Regulator Official roles as part of the evolving Regulatory landscape.

Community of Practice, March 2025 Evening Reception & Cultural Experiences After getting to know each other over a wonderful dinner, we were welcomed to the Museum of Anthropology by Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coastal Wolf Pack) who taught us about the local lands and history and presented us with a fine performance of cultural singing and dances. Surrounded by Coastal First Nation heraldic poles and carvings, George Desjarlais amazed us in his portable Newayak Kisikohk planetarium. George shared Cree teachings and mythology of the night sky. George uses skillful storytelling and includes adventures and lessons from his personal journey, delivering a truly unique and moving experience. Thank you, George!

Community of Practice, March 2025 Lahal & Dancing Thank you to Tommy Brown for teaching us to play Lahal! We had several fun and exciting rounds of this traditional game. Cree Elder Ken White told us of variations on the rules which was a good reminder of the richness that occurs when we share culture embodying both commonality and uniqueness. Next was a cultural dance, which everyone enjoyed, accompanied by Tommy’s beautiful singing and drumming. It was great to wrap up our day of learning together in a good way.

Wise Practices Gathering On March 13 & 14, 2025, the IAMC-TMX Socioeconomic Subcommittee (SESC) and Marine Shipping Subcommittee (MSSC) hosted a Wise Practices gathering in lək̓ʷəŋən territory (Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations). Wise Practices is an approach to change that understands the need to look back in order to move forward in a good way, recognizing the wisdom of Indigenous Nations and communities and their own stories of achieving success. The recent Wise Practices gathering was an opportunity to focus much-needed attention on the perspective of marine communities regarding the safety and security of Indigenous Women, Girls and Gender Diverse and Two-Spirit people in the context of TMX and other marine traffic. The event, attended by First Nation leaders, Elders and advocates, provided opportunities to learn about the work of the Circle on MMIWG2S+ and Resource Development, and to hear directly from communities regarding their concerns in the marine space. The event included a sharing circle and various cultural ceremonies, including to honour those who remain missing but are not forgotten. The SESC and MSSC understand that more needs to be done to identify and address systemic race- and gender-based violence linked to resource development. At the forefront of the Wise Practices gathering in lək̓ʷəŋən territory is the development and implementation of a plan related to Canada’s commitment to the five Calls for Justice focused on the resource sector (13.1-13.5), as identified in the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Action Plan (2023). This work will involve deepening an understanding of issues associated with human and sex trafficking in the marine space and strengthening collaboration with NRCan and relevant regulators. We sincerely thank all participants who joined us earlier this month and look forward to continuing to advance this work together moving forward.

Community of Practice, March 2025 Decolonizing Master Guardian Designation Charlene Everson, Cultural Capacity Coordinator for Na̱nwaḵolas Council, shared with us her work developing a new and unique stewardship designation. Working with community knowledge keepers, Charlene studies and applies traditional laws and values as a lens to craft the technical, regulatory, and environmental frameworks of Na̲nwak̲olas’ guardianship efforts. Their precise focus on Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw culture yields specific and distinct guardianship approaches, tailored to meet the needs of Na̱nwaḵolas’ member nations. “We’re building beautiful relationships with the federal government. It’s not easy. Sometimes it’s very hard. But we’re doing it. Nobody is going to come up with an Indigenous research framework but us. Our ways. Our laws. ” -Charlene Everson

IAMC is sponsoring Spill Response Due Diligence Training this Friday, March 28th, in Hope, BC. Eligible participants: ✔Communities along the TMX Date: Fri, March 28th Time: 9am – 5:30pm PDT Location: Hope, BC Contact: info@iamc.ca Course Description: Spill Response – Due Diligence is an applied, field-based course focusing on coastal, inland and freshwater applications and conditions and provides course participants with the skills, knowledge and abilities to confidently and effectively prevent and, if needed, respond to and manage a potential spill on a job site.

Swiftwater Safety Awareness Online Training This self-paced online course is the first step in safety and rescue training for Indigenous Monitors near Swiftwater environments. It covers river dynamics, basic equipment needs, safety protocols, rescue applications, and more. Completion of this course is required before taking the Swiftwater Safety Rescue Courses. Eligible participants: ✔Indigenous Monitors Register by March 31, 2025, for this self-paced online course. Contact info@iamc.ca.

Community of Practice Gathering Elders Lorraine White, Ken White, and Dolly Thomas shared their wisdom and experiences to help guide and inform the work of Indigenous Monitors and the IMSC. “You wonder why I’m talking about this. Like our experiences in Indian Residential Schools, the beating of the land does harm and makes it difficult to heal. We need to care about the land more than we care about the money... Being a Bear Watcher was both a gift and a responsibility. The animals, water, land, and plants feed, clothe, and shelter us and provide us with vital medicines. As monitors, this is now your opportunity to protect and care for our lands and waters.” Elder Dolly Thomas “That’s the way I lived. With ceremony and our language. It was a beautiful life... We were taught out there to honour the land. Ceremony cannot happen without the land. Aski. Land.” Elder Lorraine White “I worked on the pipeline for many years. We had to record all the plants and medicines that would be destroyed in a 50-meter span. Do we have enough in the rest of the country? At home we have medicines in abundance. We go out and pick as much as we need. Never pick too much.” Elder Ken White