The Bagidawaad Alliance

The document details the transition of Natasha and Andrew Akiwenzie from operating a commercial fishery in Neyaashiinigmiing, Ontario, to establishing the Bagida’waad Alliance after climate-driven changes made fishing unsustainable. It highlights the environmental pressures faced by the fishery, the organization's current initiatives in youth education and stewardship, and provides a comprehensive set of policy recommendations across multiple levels of government to support Indigenous-led climate action.

• Climate change and environmental shifts significantly disrupted the viability of a small-scale commercial fishery in Georgian Bay between 2003 and 2018. Key stressors included increasing water temperatures, declining winter ice cover, and more frequent severe storms and gale warnings that made fishing dangerous.
• The composition of fish catches shifted dramatically over time, with a notable decline in lake whitefish and an increase in smaller lake trout. By 2018, catches that previously yielded 24-32 whitefish per lift dropped to only one to three whitefish.
• Invasive species and algae blooms created operational challenges for fishers. Zebra mussels required manual removal from nets, and increased algae prevalence added weight to nets and made them visible to fish, necessitating hours of cleaning by employees.
• The organization employs a strength-based approach and uses humour and digital media to engage youth in climate action. This includes producing documentary films for the Youth Climate Report database, which are screened at UN Climate Change COP conferences to inform policy-makers.
• The document proposes extensive policy reforms, including the implementation of free, prior, and informed consent, the creation of Indigenous Guardian programs in every territory, and the 'Indigenization' of Canadian climate policy to align climate action with Indigenous sovereignty.

APA

Canadian Climate Institute (2022). The Bagidawaad Alliance. https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/the-bagidawaad-alliance/

Chicago

Canadian Climate Institute. The Bagidawaad Alliance. 2022. https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/the-bagidawaad-alliance/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Climate Institute |title=The Bagidawaad Alliance |date=23 June 2022 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/the-bagidawaad-alliance/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianclimateinstitute2022bagidawaad, author = {{Canadian Climate Institute}}, title = {{The Bagidawaad Alliance}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2022}, month = jun, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/the-bagidawaad-alliance/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }