As a colonizers child.

The history of Indigenous peoples in what is now called Alberta stretches back at least 11,000 years—often spoken of as 15,000 years to reflect a presence since time immemorial. That is not just history; that is deep, lived knowledge of the land, the المياه, the الهواء, the ecosystems that have sustained life for generations beyond what most of us can comprehend.

For thousands of years, Indigenous communities understood how to live in balance with this land—how to protect waterways, how to steward forests, how to ensure sustainability not just for today, but for generations into the future. These were not just ways of living—they were sophisticated systems of knowledge that were later taken, used, and ignored by colonizers who benefited from that understanding while systematically displacing the people who held it.

If we are serious about impact assessments in Alberta, they cannot be performative or checkbox exercises. They must meaningfully include Indigenous voices, honour all treaty obligations, and center the knowledge of those who have been caretakers of this land since time immemorial. Anything less is not only irresponsible—it is a continuation of harm.

And let’s be clear: this responsibility does not just fall on governments or industry. Those of us who are settlers—those of us who benefit from colonization—have an obligation to understand, respect, and value these partnerships. Reconciliation is not a word, and it is not a one-time gesture. It is ongoing, active work. If Canada truly wants to walk the path of reconciliation, then we need to actually do the work—consistently, honestly, and with accountability.

Because this is about more than policy. This is about whether future generations will have clean water to drink, air to breathe, and land that is still alive and thriving. It’s about whether we choose to listen now—or continue down a path we already know is unsustainable.