CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS EXPERTISE IN SUSTAINABILITY
A Sustainability across Disciplines event
March 23-25, 2022
Concordia University
From March 23 to 25, the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre and the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability collaborated with Concordia's 4TH SPACE to host a series of panels, discussions, workshops, and presentations in celebration of Indigenous expertise in Sustainability. This online conference brought together some very honoured guests, as well as faculty, students, and the broader community from the University and beyond to celebrate Indigenous expertise in sustainability and sustainability research at Concordia more generally.
Although this conference was hosted online, most of the participants will be located in Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), on the unceded lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation, one of the founding nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. If you are not in Tiohtià:ke, you can find out whose land you are on here.
Schedule of synchronous events
These events were available via Zoom to all those who register. Unless otherwise noted, they were also recorded and can be viewed here.
Wednesday, March 23
| Time | Event |
| 10h-11h | Wendat ecology, featuring Nicolas Renaud |
| 12h-13h | Decolonizing climate policy in so-called Canada, featuring Sarah Hanson, Deborah McGregor, Tiffany Traverse, and Jen Gobby |
| 13h45-15h15 | Co-developing knowledge with Indigenous communities to facilitate sustainable fisheries management: a ‘FISHES’ perspective, featuring Pamela MacLeod, Monica Mulrennan, Stephan Schott, Louis Bernatchez, and Dylan Fraser |
| 16h-17h | Representations and rights of the environment, featuring Deborah McGregor, Matthias Fritsch, Sandy Lamalle, and Peter Stoett (Note: This event will not be recorded; it will be hosted on Zoom for registered partipants to participate at the scheduled time only.) |
Thursday, March 24
| Time | Event |
| 10h-11h | Partners in Indigenous Conservation and Environmental Futures (PICEF) |
| 14h-15h | Keynote address by Danika Billie Littlechild |
Friday, March 25
| Time | Event |
| 12h-13h | Indigenous youth perspectives on climate justice / Les perspectives des jeunes autochtones sur la justice climatique, featuring Julie Teiokeráthe Delisle, Ohontsakéhte Montour, Carlee Kawinehta Loft, Alicia Ibarra-Lemay, and Natasha Blanchet-Cohen. *Cet évènement sera également disponible en français |
| 14h-15h | Decolonization strategies in film and journalism, featuring Miranda Crowdus and Aphrodite Salas |
| 16h-17h | Keynote address by Andrea Reid: Indigenous leadership is essential to conservation: An example from coastal British Columbia |
Asynchronous events
Films
This full-length film provides a portrait of the Rupert River just after it was diverted. Since the 1970’s, the James Bay territory in northern Québec has been transformed by a massive hydroelectric development. But unlike past battles, the indigenous Cree are now involved in this new project, following the « Peace of the Braves » agreement with the Québec Government.
With captivating shots of wild nature and huge construction sites, Brave New River explores the paradoxes of our control over nature, the meeting between two worlds and the dilemma of those taking part in the transformation of their land.
Brave New River is avaiable here only until March 27th.
The soul of the Innu language is the land, water and forests of the fast-disappearing caribou. Through his music, Florent Vollant continues to make this language heard around the world. Nicolas Renaud showcases the music and the language through this short film.
This short film provides a portrait of Silas Howard and his contribution to the Hive Free Lunch program as Kitchen Coordinator. The student film team follow Silas and his team on a Monday as they prepare the food for the week, making onion soup and distributing the soup. Intertwined with these actions, we learn a bit more about Silas and the program. The program, in itself, is an extension of the Concordia Hive coffee cooperative and is part of the initiatives of the Concordia Food Coalition. Collectively, these food co-ops aim to create "a sovereign food campus" at Concordia. The Hive Free Lunch program alone allows students on the Concordia Loyola campus to enjoy fresh, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and nutritious food for free. Why there? Because it is a food desert and therefore there are very few choices available. Every weekday, the initiative allows hundreds of students to get a good meal.
Pre-recorded presentations
This conference contributes to the Sustainability in Research section of Concordia's Sustainability Action Plan by increasing the visibility of sustainability research at Concordia.
This conference is also certified (platinum) under the Concordia’s new Sustainable Virtual Event Certification program. Learn more about the sustainability practices put in place for this conference here. You can also learn more about the Sustainable Event Certification more generally here.
Participants are expected to treat each other with consideration and respect. Read the detailed code of conduct.
Celebrating Indigenous Expertise in Sustainability is brought to you by the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability and the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre in collaboration with 4TH SPACE, with the support of the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies; the Faculty of Arts and Science; the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Communities and Cities; the Youth Network Chair; the School of Community and Public Affairs and First Peoples Studies, the Science College, and the Departments of Applied Human Sciences; Biology; Communication Studies; Geography, Planning and Environment; History; Political Science and Sociology and Anthropology at Concordia University.
