Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor says local First Nations have a great deal to teach the rest of the province when it comes to environmental sustainability.
Elizabeth Dowdeswell paid a visit to Walpole Island this week, and says there’s a great opportunity to share traditional knowledge when it comes to threats like climate change and protecting species at risk.
“There’s such an opportunity to help the rest of the province understand traditional knowledge as we face threats like climate change for example, to understand how species are resilient and how they stay,” Dowdeswell says.
“Establishing relationships is so important, I recall years ago doing work that involved people on Walpole Island and you remember people, you remember the issues, whether it’s cleaning something up or whether it’s attempting to move forward on issues, the relationships you establish in your own community and the communities around you as well, that’s fundamentally important.”
Today, the Lieutenant Governor is in Essex County, speaking to municipal and business leaders about the growing cannabis industry and its impact on economic development.
“Many people are talking about sustainability, they may not use the word but essentially they’re interested in how can you steward the environment, how can you make sure communities are cohesive socially and culturally,” Dowdeswell says. “We want a prosperous economy, and the real trick is how you connect those dots.”
She says ensuring future generations have a resilient economy and dignified work is vital.
