Small Wigwams: Knowledge Exchange Session Overview

Tuesday, May 9

2:00 Options

Guardians and Natural Resource Development

Room: Ballroom AB

Available in French

As the eyes and ears of traditional territories, Guardians monitor development activities like forestry and mining. In this session, hear how to assess compliance and health impacts, and discuss why this data is essential for informed decision-making and conserving Turtle Island.

  • Moderator: Alexa Scully, Indigenous Leadership Initiative

  • Emilie “Rosy” Bjornson, Ni Hadi Xa

  • David Flood, Wahkohtowin Development GP Inc.

Panel Discussion with Guardian Storytellers

Room: Frontenac

Do you want to share Guardians’ work with a global audience? Come and learn about the Land Needs Guardians Community Storyteller Project, which shows participants how to produce short videos. Hear panelists talk about how the project has changed perspectives, benefited communities, and provided learning opportunities. 

  • Moderator: Jennifer Brunet, Land Needs Guardians

  • Charlotte Denny, Unima’ki Institute of Natural Resources

  • Amberly Quakegesic, Wahkohtowin Guardian Program

  • Dolcy Meness, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Nagadjitòdjig Akì

How to Write a Successful Funding Proposal

Room: Richelieu

Get advice from Indigenous Caucus Members of the First Nations-Federal Pilot Joint Working Group on Guardians (JWG) on how to prepare a successful funding proposal, including developing a strong budget, incorporating maps, and getting letters of support. 

  • Moderator: Loretta Bayer, JWG 

  • Jimmy Morgan, JWG 

  • Maryse Pineau, Environment Climate Change Canada

  • Ashley Racine, Environment Climate Change Canada

3:20 Options

Using Traditional Ways: Stories from the Chìmàn (Canoe)   

Room: Chaudière 

Hear two communities describe the importance of the birch bark canoe and the process of creating one. And listen as Knowledge Holder Pinock Smith offers demonstrations and shares his passion to preserve and teach traditional skills using the ancestors’ crafted traditional tools.

  • Moderator: Amberly Quakegesic, Wahkohtowin Guardian Program 

  • Dolcy Meness, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Nagadjitòdjig Akì

  • Pinock Smith, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Knowledge Holder

Guardians Engaging With Their Communities

Room: Frontenac

Learn how to create opportunities for knowledge exchange within your community: how to share about Guardians’ work, gather knowledge and involve the community..

  • Gillian Staveley, Dena Kayeh Institute

  • Tanya Ball, Dane Nan Yḗ Dāh Network

Guardians and Wildfire

Room: Richelieu

Guardians can play a critical role in strengthening Indigenous leadership in fire management and response. In this session, hear insights from a proposed national fire strategy for Guardians, and learn from examples of fire response training and communities’ emergency response. 

  • Moderator: Linda Dwyer, Indigenous Leadership Initiative

  • Jack Penashue, Innu Nation 

  • Ashley Menicoche, Dehcho First Nations

Le Rôle des Gardiens au Québec

Room: Laurentian

Discussion sur l’évolution du rôle que peuvent jouer les gardiens du Québec dans la protection du lien culturel avec les territoires.

  • Moderator: Marjolaine Tshernish, le Réseau national des gardiens des Premières Nations

  • Yasmine Fontaine, Université Laval


Wednesday, May 10 

1:30 Options

Guardians and Enforcement

Room: Ballroom AB

Available in French

Some Guardians programs are exploring how to enforce community laws and regulations. Hear from Guardians getting trained as certified enforcement compliance officers and talk about hurdles that programs face along the path to enforcement responsibilities. 

  • Moderator: Jean-Philippe Messier, Indigenous Leadership Initiative 

  • Nadia Saganash, Cree Nation Government

  • Rodney Petawabano, Cree Nation Government

  • Bruce Lulua, Tŝilhqot’in National Government

  • Jimmy Harry Jr, Tŝilhqot’in National Government

How to Build a Guardians Program

Room: Frontenac

Drawing on the Guardians Toolkit, this session will walk through how to create a vision for your program, set up a governance structure, create an operations manual, and take other important steps to build a strong Guardians program. 

  • Moderator: Jimmy Morgan, Nature United

  • Alexandra Post, Nature United

Guardians and Water Monitoring

Room: Richelieu

Water monitoring helps Guardians respond to a range of challenges, from climate change to contamination concerns. Get an overview of monitoring tools and explore how Nations can use data collected by Guardians to inform decision-making.  

  • Moderator: Alexa Scully, Indigenous Leadership Initiative

  • Mike Low, Dehcho First Nations

  • Bertha Sutherland, Constance Lake First Nation

  • Kimberly Jorgenson, Matawa First Nations 


3:05 Options 

Innovative Models for Governance and Financing

Room: Ballroom AB

Available in French

Learn how Guardians programs can draw on diverse funding sources like innovative partnerships, sustainable land-based operations, and other opportunities. And talk about how self-generated funds can help build stronger governance structures. 

  • Moderator: David Flood, Wahkohtowin Development GP Inc.

  • Christine Smith-Martin, Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative

  • Merv Child, Nanwakolas Council

Caring for Caribou and Moose

Room: Frontenac

Moose and caribou hold great cultural significance, and many communities are deeply concerned about recent population declines. In this session, learn about ways Guardians help care for moose and caribou, including monitoring, community engagement, and protection of critical habitat. 

  • Moderator: Jimmy Morgan, First Nations-Federal Pilot Joint Working Group on Guardians

  • Tyanna Steinwand, Tłı̨chǫ Government Walking with Caribou

  • Evan Simon and Charlotte Denny, Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources

Guardians, Drones, and Data

Room: Richelieu

Drones are a powerful tool for helping Guardians monitor wildlife, track fire hotspots, inform community planning, and much more. Discuss drone capabilities and explore different models,  costs, certifications, and data management apps. 

  • Moderator: Alexa Scully, Indigenous Leadership Initiative

  • Eric Forget, Nova Sylva

  • Rick McKamey and Tina Pederson, Leq’á:mel First Nation

  • Sarah Cockerton, Four Rivers