A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR RECONCILIATION IN THE COWICHAN: “The Cowichan Climate Gathering felt like reconciliation in action because First Nations had an equal voice at the table,” stated Michael Blackstock, independent indigenous scholar and creator of the Blue Ecology framework
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. Stories are structured in three parts: One-Minute Takeaway , Editor’s Perspective (REPRODUCED BELOW), and the Story Behind the Story.
The edition published on May 27, 2025 is the second in a 2-part series about the Cowichan Climate Gathering held in December 2024. The two provide an over-arching picture of what convening for action looks like in the Cowichan. The story behind the story is structured as three topics. First, Keith Lawrence introduces the network of networks context. Cindy Lise then reflects on the process for moving towards a common vision and explains why the artist’s storyboard is a foundation piece for build to Climate Gathering 2.0 in 2025.
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE / CONTEXT FOR BUSY READER
“Grounded in the cultural ways of the Indigenous partners, the Cowichan Region Climate Gathering originated as an outreach initiative of the regional district’s watershed protection program. It morphed into something much, much bigger,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“My history of collaboration with Cowichan Valley local governments provides me with a firsthand context for judging the historical significance of what this watershed moment represents.”
“Because I co-delivered the Blue Ecology in the Cowichan breakout session as part of a Watershed Moments tag-team with Michael Blackstock and Paul Chapman, this also gives me a participant’ s perspective.”
Convening for action in the Cowichan to align efforts and work towards outcomes
Now what do you do to achieve desired outcomes?
“The Climate Gathering was an opportunity for us to really build the network of networks, to recognize the complexity of the systems that we are working within, to strengthen those connections and highlight how rich a tapestry of interactions can happen at an event like that,” Keith Lawrence said in a moment of reflection.
“But it is going to take us a while. When I think about when we started with the Regional Airshed Roundtable in 2014, it took us a year to build the foundation. And that is where we are right now,” continued Cindy Lise.
“Cindy has framed that well,” concluded Keith Lawrence. “We are talking about the broad role potentially going forward of the group of folks that are interested in leading this forward, both in terms of balancing how we build the collaborative framework going forward while advancing the collective along the spectrum of collaboration.”
“And then, also reaching out to the public or those that can have a difference with the way they do things in terms of supporting climate action. There is a need for both the strengthening of the framework internally and broadening it externally to bring in new participants. Maybe this is where it intertwines with Michael Blackstock’s work with Blue Ecology.”
To Learn More:
Waterbucket eNews stories are structured in three parts: One-Minute Takeaway, Editor’s Perspective and Context for Busy Reader, and the Story Behind the Story. To read the complete 3-part storyline, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: A watershed moment for reconciliation in Cowichan region.
