Northern initiatives:
Across Northern Canada, a new generation of change-makers are raising their voices, elevating issues central to the future of the north and its people, and engaging audiences near and far. In this session, we present a curated collection of vignettes from northern initiatives led by this next generation, profiling the critical work they are undertaking, and the conversations it provokes. This multi-media presentation is followed by a panel discussion of perspectives and reflections from University of Alberta graduate students working in the North, with Northern communities, and from the North. We invite you to join us for this exploration of inspiring stories of changing relations in and for the North.
Northern researchers - panelist:
Anita Lafferty (she/her): PhD candidate at the University of Alberta in the Faculty of Secondary Education. She is of Dene and Cree descent and a member of the Lı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation in Northwest Territories. Her doctoral research examines approaches of Indigenous curriculum perspectives that are grounded in Dene k’ęę (ways of knowing) on the Land.
Jared Gonet: PhD candidate studying biocultural indicators in the Yukon. Taku River Tlingit citizen from Whitehorse, Yukon.
Tina Wasilik: PhD student in the Faculty of Education. Her research aims to explore Inuit women’s self-reliance. She has lived and worked in Iqaluit, Qikiqtarjuaq and Pond Inlet, Nunavut.
Sidney Horlick: MSc Student specializing in Global Health at the School of Public Health. Her research looks at the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on food security and food sovereignty on communities in Nunavut. She was born and raised in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Her MSc research looks at the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security and food sovereignty in Nunavut communities.
More information about each of our film participants ( in the order they appear in the video):
Young Leaders' Summit on Northern Climate Change - in Inuvik. Ecology North
The positive impact of bringing young people together to share their concerns, stories, and solutions regarding northern issues is made evident through the Young Leaders’ Summit on Northern Climate Change. The summit, which first began in 2009 and is hosted every two years by Ecology North, provides an opportunity for young people from the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut to connect with each other, expand their knowledge of climate change, and learn about the actions they can take to address climate change in their communities. Video clip from APTN News, Charlotte Morritt-Jacobs
Yukon First Nations Climate Action Fellowship
In recognition of the instrumental role of youth engagement in addressing pressing issues like climate change, the Yukon First Nations Climate Action Fellowship was established in 2020. Twenty northern youth were recruited for the fellowship, and over the course of twenty months, they will assist in the creation of a Yukon First Nations Climate Vision & Action Plan, to be released in Spring of 2022. This plan will help to inform climate change solutions and responses in the Yukon region that reflect a Yukon First Nations worldview.
Alaska Youth for Environmental Action
Established in 1998 as part of the Alaska Center Education Fund, the Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) program represents another important initiative that serves to engage northern youth in responding to environmental issues such as climate change. Adult mentors and staff at AYEA provide leadership skills training to teens and support a variety of youth-led community action projects, campaigns, and events, such as the annual Civics and Conservation Summit in Juneau, Alaska.
Voices From Here: Jacey Firth-Hagen, Historica Canada
Born and raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Jacey is Gwich'in, a recent graduate of Yukon College, and is currently a Bachelor of Arts student attending MacEwan University. She is the creator of the social media language revitalization initiative Gwich'in Language Revival Campaign #SpeakGwichinToMe. Jacey is currently the 2020 Arctic Inspiration Prize Laureate for the Western Arctic Youth Collective at Arctic Inspiration Prize.
SmartICE
Traveling on ice is critical for many people across the North, particularly Inuit - to access traditional foods, visit with neighbouring communities, and continue cultural activities. Impacts from climate change are making this form of travel increasingly dangerous. SmartICE is a climate change adaptation tool that integrates traditional knowledge of sea ice with advanced data technologies to increase the safety of those travelling on the ice, and support food security and community health and well-being.
SIKU
SIKU is a mobile app and web platform by and for Inuit that supports Indigenous self-determination in research, education and stewardship, and provides tools and services for ice safety, weather forecasting, language preservation and knowledge transfer.
SHIFT - Singletrack to Success
The Singletrack to Success program in Carcross, Yukon, has made an international impression after the documentary SHIFT featured the work of Carcross/Tagish First Nation youth who developed and maintain the trails of a world-class mountain biking destination. The Singletrack to Success is part of the Stewardship program of Carcross/Tagish First Nation, giving the youth new professional tools to care for and share their lands.
Indigenous Leadership Initiative
The Indigenous Leadership Initiative supports Indigenous Nations in caring for lands and waters through Guardian programs, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, land use planning, and Indigenous Governance. Today, over 90 Guardians programs are working across the country, connecting youth and Elders through stewardship, and more programs are under development through the Land Needs Guardians campaign launched in 2020.
Bistcho Lake IPCA - Dene Tha'
Dene Tha' First Nation is advancing an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area in the Bistcho Lake region of Alberta, known to Dene Tha' as Mbecho. The vision for Bistcho Lake involves cooperative management, conservation of critical habitat and sacred cultural areas, and a Guardians program to undertake environmental and caribou monitoring. As the first proposed IPCA in Alberta, the Dene Tha' would continue to care for wetlands, peatlands, boreal forest, and the most extensive undisturbed lacustrine habitat in Alberta.
Circumpolar Students' Association - Tina Wasilik & Sidney Horlick
At the University of Alberta, the Circumpolar Students’ Association is leading a group publication project focused on researcher-northern community relations. The project brings together northern-focused early career researchers from a range of disciplines to discuss how they engage with northern communities, and the challenges and opportunities associated with conducting research in the north.