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Michael Blackstock

    CONNECTED BY WATER: “While inter-regional collaboration was the context for my conversational interview with Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, the story behind the story went in an unexpected direction,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket Editor


    “Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, a marine scientist who previously taught at the University of Hawaii Maui College, is in her second decade with Comox Valley Regional District after joining in 2012. Her responsibilities revolve around the Comox Lake Watershed Protection Plan. At the end of our conversation, Zoe connected her reflections about Hawaii and interweaving Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science to Blue Ecology, the water-first approach that bridges cultures. Zoe represents the Comox Valley Regional District on the Partnership’s Watershed Moments Team,” stated Km Stephens.

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    GEORGIA BASIN INTER-REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE: “Inter-regional collaboration allows us to support each other in addressing problems that transcend boundaries,” stated Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, Comox Lake Watershed Protection Coordinator


    “When the regional districts on the east coast of Vancouver Island present a united front, it is so much stronger than us trying to speak as an individual local government, especially for a small one within a larger provincial context when you are one among many. In a provincial context, we are just one tiny voice. Coming together as neighbouring regional governments has strengthened our relationships and increased inter-regional communication and sharing of methodologies, ideas, strategies and information–all our communities are benefitting!” stated Zoe Norcross-Nu’u.

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    BLUE ECOLOGY IS A PATHWAY TO WATER RECONCILIATION: “Rather than wondering how much more can we take or impact land before we need to stop, instead we should ask how much longer should we let the water and land heal, before we ask for more,” stated Michael Blackstock (September 2023)


    The Blue Ecology video documentary seeds the idea that hope lies within the spheres of influence for local governments, whether Indigenous OR non-Indigenous. At its heart, Blue Ecology is about taking responsibility for care of the land and passing on the intergenerational baton. The video also seeds the idea that making it so requires a change in attitude to achieve the five Blue Ecology principles – Spirit, Balance, Harmony, Respect, Unity. The primary audience is local government. The Watershed Moments goal is to help remove their fear of saying or doing the wrong thing.

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    BLUE ECOLOGY IS A PATHWAY TO WATER RECONCILIATION: “Blue Ecology shows us a path to interweave Indigenous and Western science to better steward our watersheds,” stated Paul Chapman, co-producer of the Watershed Moments 2023 documentary video released on World Rivers Day 2023


    “The earliest inhabitants on the land, BC’s First Nations, settled near rivers. More recent settlements have followed suit, settling near rivers for fresh water supply, travel, commerce, food supply, recreation, and in our built environments storm water and wastewater services. Climate change has compounded the stresses our modern practices and settlements impose on watershed health and healthy functioning. The new normal includes drought, flood and fire on a seasonal basis. A hopeful way forward is found in Blue Ecology,” stated Paul Chapman.

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    BLUE ECOLOGY IS A PATHWAY TO WATER RECONCILIATION: “Water brings people together. It is a natural starting point for any conversation about common interests, and by extension, our shared future,” stated Kim Stephens, co-producer of the Watershed Moments 2023 documentary video released on World Rivers Day 2023


    “In 2017, we commenced the process of mainstreaming awareness of Michael Blackstock’s work and ecological philosophy into the local government setting. Watershed Moments 2023 is the latest evolution. The Partnership is on a journey with Michael Blackstock. It is taking us time to build trust and relationships with First Nations to the point of being able to showcase Blue Ecology in action. Watershed Moments 2023 showcases a free-flowing conversation, with Richard Boase steering the process. This allows the chemistry with Brian Carruthers and Michael Blackstock to take its natural course,” stated Kim Stephens.

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    BLUE ECOLOGY IS A PATHWAY TO WATER RECONCILIATION: “Our Gitxsan legal system, laws and traditions dictate that we must leave a functioning house group and a functioning landscape for future generations of people from the house,” stated Gitxsan hereditary chief Hanamuxw in the Watershed Moments 2023 documentary video


    “Our job as chiefs is to take care of the members of the wilp and the land base that we have. The concept of that responsibility is found in the word gwelx ye’enst which means leaving things for the future generations. That is the ethic that we need to uphold. We have based that experience on what we have been doing since the last glaciation period. That is some 15,000 years of experience. We take our Gitxsan science and we meld it and weave it in with Western science and look at how those two systems can co-exist,” stated Chief Hanamuxw.

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    BLUE ECOLOGY IS A PATHWAY TO WATER RECONCILIATION: “We need to measure progress in different ways. We are not going to measure Water Reconciliation in a year-end report because it is about a mindset change,” stated Richard Boase, moderator of of the Watershed Moments 2023 documentary video released on World Rivers Day 2023


    “For 30 years, I have used only Western science in my efforts to make changes in water resources. For the most part, I have not been successful. I asked a First Nations elder what can I do differently? By viewing everything around us in the natural world as having spirit, and having a personality and a purpose in how it relates to the people who live on the land, you are starting on the right path, the elder explained. This was a profound moment for me. It dawned on me that if we redirect water into a wetland, for example, life is going to happen. Water will create life with little or no help from us,” stated Richard Boase.

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    BLUE ECOLOGY IS A PATHWAY TO WATER RECONCILIATION: “It is not about technical data. It is not about numbers. It is about connection, it is about perspective, it is about that spiritual understanding and how things are connected. Indigenous knowledge is a sense, a feeling, an appreciation for that connection,” stated Brian Carruthers in the Watershed Moments 2023 documentary video


    “When I think about the experience in the Cowichan, in many ways the region is still in the theoretical stage in terms of weaving Indigenous knowledge and Western science. We created the framework for that to happen. The foundation for interweaving in the Cowichan region is really with the Cowichan Tribes. Everything the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) has done has been shoulder to shoulder with them. The framework is in place and the Drinking Water and Watershed Protection service exists. However, a reality is that things do take time,” stated Brian Carruthers.

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    WHAT DOES WATER RECONCILIATION LOOK LIKE: “First Nations talk about the responsibility for care of the land being passed on from one generation to the next. They have been much more effective than us in having the community understand their role in stewardship and why that matters,” stated Richard Boase, facilitator for the Watershed Moments Symposia Series and Blue Ecology Seminar Series


    “We have landed at the crux of two of the most important issues facing Canadians – relationships with First Nations and relationships with water – in an era when we must also adapt to a changing climate. Communities have a once in a generation opportunity to get our relationships with both right, and then start back down the river of time – this time together. To move this bold idea forward, the Watershed Moments Team is showcasing the Blue Ecology vision for interweaving Western science and Indigenous knowledge,” stated Richard Boase.

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    WATERSHED MOMENTS 2023: “My experience with elected representatives is that it always comes down to the people and how they get along. And how they act, and how they lead. Staff can only carry things so far,” stated Brian Carruthers, former Chief Administrative Officer with the Cowichan Valley Regional District (January 2023)


    “The question was, and still is, how do we rekindle that energy and fire in the belly? How do we rekindle that support for this important work amongst our elected officials? How do we bring the Cowichan Tribes, Cowichan Watershed Board and CVRD, as well as the other groups back together again? You need to have that political will to say, this is important. Only when someone who is elected takes the lead, and is the champion, does something happen. With a new Board, I believe there is a real opportunity to strike early and bring CVRD and Cowichan Tribes together to re-start the water conversation,” stated Brian Carruthers.

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