Decolonising Canadian water governance: lessons from Indigenous case studies

Area of Science:

• Environmental Policy
• Indigenous Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Current water governance in Canada relies heavily on Western frameworks, potentially overlooking Indigenous perspectives.
• Existing principles, like the OECD's 2021 Principles on Water Governance, may not fully address the complexities of Indigenous water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) spheres.
• There is a need to move beyond solely Western-centric policy approaches in Indigenous WASH management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore lessons for decolonizing water infrastructure governance in Canada.
• To advocate for the integration of Indigenous ways of knowing into Canadian water governance.
• To demonstrate the necessity of creating space for Indigenous voices in policy discussions regarding WASH.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of existing water governance principles, including OECD's 2021 Principles on Water Governance.
• Examination of case studies highlighting dangers within current water governance practices.
• Conceptual framework development integrating Indigenous Two-Eyed Seeing and nation-to-nation praxis.

Main Results:

• Three key lessons emerge for decolonizing water governance: incorporating Indigenous Two-Eyed Seeing, strengthening nation-to-nation praxis with Indigenous communities, and creating dedicated spaces for Indigenous voices in WASH policy.
• Western frameworks alone are insufficient for governing Indigenous WASH spheres effectively.
• Highlighting dangers in case studies underscores the urgency for inclusive governance.

Conclusions:

• Decolonizing water governance necessitates a paradigm shift, moving beyond Western-only frameworks to embrace Indigenous knowledge systems.
• Strengthening nation-to-nation relationships and fostering Indigenous participation are crucial for equitable and effective WASH policy in Canada.
• Integrating Indigenous Two-Eyed Seeing offers a pathway to more comprehensive and culturally appropriate water management solutions.