“We are the ones that we are waiting for” - Governing Transboundary Waters: Canada, the United States, and Indigenous Communities - page 128

As Charlie O'Hara, Planning Director for the Swinomish Indian Tribal
Community, reflected after the incident, “It never works to bring Tribal members
into conferences like this. . . .We need to bring them (non-tribal members) into
our own meetings in order for them to understand our perspective”. The problem,
he surmised, was one of worldviews:
Westerners think that environmental issues will be solved only by removing
humans from the equation. Natives, on the other hand, treat human and
environmental issues as one and the same.
Setting up a Native-non-Native binary is clearly problematic. However, this
example serves to underscore the importance of power and position in the
governance process. An invitation to participate in a governance process already
defined for the actors is very different from creating one's own governance system.
For the Coast Salish Community, which is actively trying to restore and revitalize
a cultural tradition while addressing pressing environmental issues, this distinction
is fundamental.
Building bridges
Governmental offices and First Nations/Tribal communities are increasingly
collaborating in multijurisdictional governance projects. However, as the above
example illustrates, this multicultural partnership requires clear communication
between partners and enhanced cultural awareness. Another example of this effort
includes the Coast Salish Sea Initiative - a partnership between Environment Canada
and Coast Salish communities in British Columbia. The design of this program
aims to “facilitate meaningful engagement of Coast Salish with the Georgia Basin
Action Plan”. The project also indicates a priority of cross-cultural exchange and
respect for divergent worldviews. For example, the projects emphasize training
programs where Environment Canada employees are trained in Traditional
Ecological Knowledge methods and First Nations community members are trained
in water quality testing:
Together we have undertaken water quality assessments, reopened Baynes
Sound to shellfish harvesting and are working towards having a comprehensive
management plan for the Nanaimo River Estuary. We have trained First
Nations members as samplers, data collectors, and maintenance for Squirrel
Cove pump out station. We have improved the way the scientific and First
Nation community work together through important Traditional Ecological
Knowledge (TEK) conferences.
In addition, cross-cultural training has been provided to Emergency Awareness
and Enforcement officers resulting in a better understanding of how to work
together with First Nations and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. In this case,