The Canoe Journey - Governing Transboundary Waters: Canada, the United States, and Indigenous Communities - page 142

Cladoosby reflects:
I think the kids, just being here to be able to witness, seeing the probes and
hopefully when we get back, to be able to show them exactly what they were
able to do. And to explain to them in layman's terms what this means, what
that means, is going to be cool. And to let them know that they were the
genesis of this.
Both testimonies highlight the benefits of including youth in this process. The
experience of the Canoe Journey is beneficial for connecting to place and learning
on the water, as well as being part of something bigger - to participate in a project
that will lead to a greater understanding of the quality of the water - but, perhaps,
more importantly, letting the youth know that they are instrumental to this project
is key. Simply, the project is equally about water quality data as it is about
empowerment, building allies, and a cultural revitalization. For the youth to have
a validation of blended worldviews and practices, in which Western science and
traditional practice can contribute to better protection of the waters that are
important to all, is of utmost importance. This, in turn, helps foster “good
neighbors” through information-exchange and cultural awareness.
Ongoing legacies of colonial b/ordering
Despite the ongoing efforts to promote unity and cultural connectedness between
tribes and nations, the political imprint of the international border is still very much
present and influences both the Canoe Journey and the water quality program.
For example, the involvement of Canadian partners, such as Environment Canada,
has waned over the years. The decrease in involvement is largely due to budget
constraints and limited staff ability. As the series of images below show, although
the Canoe Journey continues to be a “transnational” experience, the purviews of
the agencies are reliant on fiscal priorities and budgets and will not always carry
over into the “international” spectrum. Note the first two images reflecting the
years 2008 and 2009 include data from both Canada and the U.S. side of the Canoe
Journey, whereas the latter images, for 2010 and 2011, only show data from the
U.S. side. This is an important point to consider when looking at transnational
governance and federally-funded projects. Ultimately, federal projects are limited
to the scope and purview of their internal boundaries. The agencies can coordinate,
but ultimately the implementation of transboundary projects is limited by the fiscal
priorities set by the national government. This underscores the unique position of
Indigenous communities to take leadership on transnational issues, whose scope
and purview can transcend borders.
Although a key goal of the Canoe Journey is to highlight the shared traditions
of the Coast Salish people and to participate in unifying traditional territories
through the Journey itself, the presence of the international border is not erased
all together. For the USGS, the presence of the border impacts the data collection.
The border also impacts the participants in other more routine ways. For example,