Rethinking Land (Season 2, Ep. 7)

Mission Transition: Clean Energy and Beyond

A podcast from Sierra Club BC

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When colonizers first set foot on this land, their goal was to claim as much of it as possible for themselves. They paid no attention to the fact that Indigenous peoples here had their own governing structures and laws already in place. To the early settlers and explorers, land equaled money and power. To this day, some of us still view the value of land simply in terms of the money it can generate, whether that’s from logging the trees, mining for gold, digging up oil and gas or developing real estate.

But now we’re confronting the harsh impacts this approach has had for climate change and for Indigenous peoples. So what can we do differently? How can we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?

This episode invites us to rethink our approach, and explore what we can learn from Indigenous law about being more respectful of the land as we transition to clean energy.

We talk with Dene activist Caleb Behn about how renewable energy projects must not be approached in the same ways oil and gas projects have. Molly Wickham of the Wet’suwet’en Nation talks about the impact of disregarding Indigenous knowledge about the land. Northern BC farmers Jim and Pat Strasky describe how fracking has affected their way of life. Finally, Inupiat/Inuvialuit legal scholar Dr. Gordon Christie offers insights on Indigenous law.

Listen to Episode 8 next or find all of our previous episodes here.

Find links for more information on the initiatives mentioned in this episode below.

rethinkg land, mission transition, podcast, sierra club bc

L-R: Dr. Gordon Christie, Inupiat/Inuvialuit legal scholar; Caleb Behn, Dene activist; and Molly Wickham, spokesperson for the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation