Lesson 11 - Current Social Movements

Term

Definition

Apache Corporation An oil company that has been blocked by the Wet'suwet'en from installing the Pacific Trail pipeline on Wet'suwet'en land.
Bi Kyi Wa'at'en A Wet'suwet'en law that establishes the husband's duty to respectfully use and protect his wife's land. This law was invoked by Chief Tohestiy as part of his responsibility to oppose the Pacific Trail pipeline. (Reference)
Bill C-45 Bill C-45 or the "Jobs and Growth Act" (2012) is an omnibus bill that affected many different aspects of Canadian law and policy, including insituting unilateral amendments to the Indian Act. Idle No More was formed in response to this bill.
Cultural communities Maintained through the transmission and continuation of collective experiences, memories, histories, and practices.
Environmental Assessment Act Was amended by Bill C-45 to significantly reduce the number of projects that require environmental assessment. These amendments have the potential to negatively impact Aboriginal peoples' capacity to engage in traditional land use practices.
Figurative community Often a large global community, this type of community is brought together due to shared common belief systems and values. They often connect through social media, and events such as protests, roadblocks and flash mob round dances.
Idle No More A grassroots social movement begun by four Saskatchewan women in 2012. The movement was formed in resistance to Bill C-45, and brought together Indigenous people and nonIndigenous allies. One of the movement's most visible tactics was conducting flashmob round dances in urban centres
Mythic community Consists of a broad range of people who share values or experiences, for example the global Indigenous community's shared experiences of colonialism. This type of community risks homogenizing the specific needs and histories of peoples, but can be a useful unifying framework in certain contexts.
Navigation Protection Act The Navigation Protection Act is the result of Bill C-45's amendments to the Navigable Waters Act. The NPA now allows pipeline and and powerline companies to legally cross navigable waterways without demonstrating that their projects will not cause harm or destruction to those waterways. (Reference)
Ongoing invented community Refers to a community unified by an ongoing project or goal. For example, a group that comes together to establish an Indigenous social space in an urban center may continue to manage that space, organize its activities, etc.
Pacific Trails Pipeline A proposed 480km pipeline that would transport oil across northwestern British Columbia. The pipeline is currently being opposed by the Wet'suwet'en and the Unist'ot'en camp. (Reference)
People's Climate March A mass demonstration of approximately 400,000 people that took place in 2014 in New York City to demand climate and environmental protections. The Peoples' Climate March is an example of Indigenous climate activism as Indigenous peoples from all over the world participated in New York or on their territories. (Reference)
Sited community A sited community is one that is unified by location, by its functioning, or by its goals. This could include the members of a First Nation or an urban Indigenous service organization.
Social communities The term social communities highlights the interactive and shared aspects of community. For example, Indigenous kinship networks or social movements can be considered sites of social community.
Sphere of commonality Refers to shared experiences and histories that can unify otherwise disparate groups. Recognizing spheres of commonality can be useful to build solidarity and mobilize towards shared goals.
Temporary invented community Refers to a community unified by a short-term, one-time projects or goals. For example, protestors organizing against a G-20 summit in a specific location.
Unist'ot'en Camp This is a camp community set up to resist and protect the Wet'suwet'en land from proposed pipelines and fracking projects. The community occupies and lives traditionally on the land as an act of self-determination. (Reference | Reference)
Wet'suwet'en Inuk nu'ot'en Wet'suwet'en Law. (Reference)