Expeditions connect Innu youth to their traditional territory / Les expéditions rapprochent les jeunes Innus de leur territoire traditionnel

By Dalal Hanna, PhD Candidate, McGill University (Pour le français, voir ci-dessous) Nitassinan is the Innu word for homeland, or traditional territory. The Innu are an indigenous people from the North Eastern peninsula of what is now known as Québec, Canada. In today’s world, it can be difficult for Innu youth to feel they have sufficient opportunities to connect with their traditional territory; but, the Innu from the communities of [...]

2017-06-06T18:40:29+00:00community|Comments Off on Expeditions connect Innu youth to their traditional territory / Les expéditions rapprochent les jeunes Innus de leur territoire traditionnel

Great Lakes Commons: Commons-based stewardship and becoming a great ancestor

The Great Lakes are great in every sense of the word. Bordering the U.S. and Canada, and spanning over 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) east to west, these large inland seas are the largest surface freshwater system in the world. They contain over 20 percent of the Earth’s supply of fresh water. Over 30 million people live within the Great Lakes Basin, and the lake ecosystems provide water for recreation, consumption, [...]

2017-03-29T09:00:34+00:00social movement|Comments Off on Great Lakes Commons: Commons-based stewardship and becoming a great ancestor

Iron and Earth: Changing the narrative about Canadian energy futures

Canada’s oil sands, located in the province of Alberta, are a source of tension when it comes to envisioning the future of Canada’s environment and economy. To some, this resource represents jobs and wealth, with oil reserves worth an estimated $285 billion dollars. To others, the oil sands have no place in the future of the Canadian economy due to regional environmental degradation and climate change impacts. Also, unstable global [...]

2017-03-14T19:24:02+00:00Education, Skills Development, stop destructive action|Comments Off on Iron and Earth: Changing the narrative about Canadian energy futures

Social change through “Social Ecology” in Montreal

By Théo Rouhette How can a citizen community use popular education and social action in order to transform society and its institutions toward an ecological, egalitarian and democratic future? Challenges such as climate change and global inequity can be so overwhelming, individuals may feel powerless to respond and create positive change. But what if there was a way to organize ourselves so that together we can make more of a difference than [...]

2016-07-12T17:34:34+00:00Education, social movement, sustainable living, Urban|Comments Off on Social change through “Social Ecology” in Montreal

Idle No More: Indigenous activists call for peaceful revolution

How can Indigenous peoples bring environmental sustainability and social justice issues together into a single transformative movement? Idle No More activists at the Peoples Climate March 2014 Photo by Allan Lisner It all started in 2012 when four Canadian women (primarily Indigenous) wanted to protest against federal legislation which threatened protection of traditional lands and waters. They felt as if conventional negotiation tactics were not resulting in meaningful [...]

2016-05-26T13:00:31+00:00community, indigenous, social movement, stop destructive action|Comments Off on Idle No More: Indigenous activists call for peaceful revolution

Puffin Patrol

How can a community work together to protect an endangered species threatened by local development? If you find yourself in Witless Bay, Newfoundland, on a cool late summer night, you are likely to see a strange sight: little puffins, wandering around the town, seemingly lost, less than one foot tall, meandering around cars and light posts. This remote Canadian region is home to the largest Puffin colony in North America [...]

2016-04-26T15:05:58+00:00community|Comments Off on Puffin Patrol

Santropol Roulant

How can an organization address urban food security and social inclusion while meeting the shifting needs and interests of a community? The word “roulant” in French means “rolling” which conjures an image of some kind of cycle or circle –something that gives back.  Cycles and interconnections are often hidden from urban life, despite their omnipresence. Sometimes organizations can bring these cycles to life and build new connections within urban spaces. [...]

2016-04-14T15:50:01+00:00Food, Food system, Social Seeds|Comments Off on Santropol Roulant

Cities for People

How can we turn individual urban improvement initiatives into systemic change to produce resilient, livable cities? Cities for People is an initiative based in Montreal, Canada that believes that like an ecosystem, a city’s strength and resilience depends on its ability to nurture the full diversity of its inhabitants and give them what they need not just to survive, but thrive. Cities for people has focussed on fostering collaboration, cross-pollinating [...]

2015-10-20T18:47:12+00:00community, infrastructure, Social Seeds, sustainable living, urban ecology|Comments Off on Cities for People

The Leap Manifesto

Can a formal appeal to human decency and traditional national values cause a massive uprising that might impact how a country is governed? And can celebrities help the cause? The Leap Manifesto is a call to arms to create a Canada based on caring for the Earth and each other.  The Manifesto outlines a set of demands ranging from implementing rights for indigenous peoples, to a complete shift to green energy, to national childcare [...]

2015-09-15T20:14:14+00:00Conservation, Skills Development, Social Seeds, transport system|Comments Off on The Leap Manifesto

Tribal Parks

“Tribal parks” - are an example of Aboriginal people asserting their rights to govern and use land in ways without the prior approval of a national government. In Canada, some tribal parks have been converted into co-managed national parks (e.g. Gwai Hannas national park), while other exist in an interesting legal gray area where they form partnerships with some levels of government but are not formally recognized by others (e.g. Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Park ). These parks are interesting because they represent a way in new way in human, and historical values have been incorporated in the protection of ecosystems. They are also interesting because they have been asserted not by the state, but by colonized people who have historically been displaced by the state. By enhancing the diversity of land ownership and land governance systems these tribal parks potentially provide opportunities for experimentation and learning that can benefit broader society.

2015-02-03T12:47:20+00:00Social Seeds|Comments Off on Tribal Parks
Go to Top