Dianne Gates

This week’s Ted Talks is about Canadian guardians – How indigenous guardians protect the planet and humanity, by Valerie Courtois.

“If we take care of the land, the land takes care of us,” says Indigenous leader Ms Courtois.

“As climate change continues to devastate the planet, indigenous guardians are helping to honour our responsibility to the land, monitoring water quality, conducting research and working to restore key species.”

Ms Courtois invites us all to support the guardians, working to ensure that humanity has a future on Earth – and to discover that healing the land can transform us as well.

“My homelands, known as Nitassinan, are also experiencing these changes.

“It is a harsh, but strikingly beautiful part of the boreal forest.

“Nitassinan is at its best when it is cold.

“Yet, we are seeing extreme changes in ice and in key species such as caribou.

“When I first drove into Labrador two decades ago, I had to stop on the Trans-Labrador Highway for hours as the George River caribou herd crossed.

“There were hundreds of thousands in the herd then. Now, there are only 8000 left.  

“Researchers have documented the impacts of Guardian programmes. They can reduce incarceration and increase health and well-being.

“People’s health improves on the land because they’re on the land, because they’re physically active and because they’re happy.

“And guardians gained increased skills, higher incomes and pride in cultural knowledge.

“That’s why I believe that indigenous programmes could do more for healing from the impacts of colonialism than any other individual programme.

“Guardians help honour our responsibility of the land and they can create a better future for all.

“Because guardianship isn’t just good for guardians, it’s good for everyone, because the land is taking care of guardians and guardians are taking care of the land.  

“Guardians help care for some of the healthiest, most vibrant lands on the continent.

“Many work in the boreal forest, which stretches from Alaska to Newfoundland.

“It is one of the largest intact forests left on the planet.

“Having guardians on the ground will help us sustain so many species, like caribou, salmon, moose, wolverine, lynx, songbirds, medicinal plants and countless other species – species that are unfortunately threatened in much of the rest of the world.

“They also help protect some of the largest protected areas on the planet.

“You may not know this, but some of the biggest, most ambitious plans to protect areas in Canada are led by indigenous peoples.”

It seems that the indigenous peoples of Canada have very similar histories to our Māori in New Zealand; maybe we can implement a similar programme here for our peoples.

I trust you are starting to check out “Ted Talks”, which has a wealth of quality information.