On Thursday, June 5, more than 50 delegates gathered on Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it (Tobacco Plains) First Nation territory in Grasmere for the Without Water Symposium — an event focused on strengthening watershed security in southeast British Columbia. The gathering brought together Indigenous leaders, scientists, policymakers, community members, and industry representatives to share knowledge, explore solutions, and build partnerships to protect local water systems.
The symposium opened with powerful words from Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it Councillor Kyle Shottanana, who emphasized the sacredness of water during his opening speech and a CBC Daybreak Kamloops interview. “The necessity of water is in everything that we see,” said Shottanana. “Everything around us has to do with water—from the plants, to the sky, and ʔa·kxam̓is q̓api qapsin – all living things.”
Throughout the day, discussions focused on pressing water-related challenges including drought, pollution, and the growing uncertainty created by climate change. Delegates highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge across sectors—blending Indigenous, scientific, and community perspectives—to guide collective watershed decision-making.
Among the participants was Joseph Yellow Horn, Environmental Technician for the Piikani Nation in Alberta, who welcomed the opportunity to join like-minded individuals in defence of the environment. “It’s really relieving to see that the environment is taking a forefront in a lot of discussions now,” he said. “We’re always taught ecological practices through our traditions and cultures, but it’s refreshing to see it embraced more broadly.”
The symposium continued into the evening with a community dinner, keynote address, and panel discussion attended by an additional 50 local residents. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (above), delivered a rousing keynote that urged action. “It’s absolutely worth fighting for to protect what we can protect, collectively,” he said. “But this movement is not a bystander movement, it’s not a polite movement. You have to show up, you have to speak out, and you gotta stand up—and we have to do it together.”
Following the keynote, a panel featuring representatives from Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it, municipal leaders, scientists, industry members, and non-profit organizations addressed community questions. Dr. Stewart Rood, a professor of Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Lethbridge, captured a shared consensus: “Water is critical. Water is threatened. Locally threatened, globally threatened.”
Dr. Stella Swanson, a Study Board member with the International Joint Commission for the Elk-Kootenai/y reference, echoed the call for urgency. “Just get on with it,” she said. “Don’t dither, don’t make it into rocket science. It’s a lot of just basic chemistry, physics, and common sense” — a statement that earned strong applause from attendees.
The Without Water Symposium was organized by Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nation, Living Lakes Canada, and the Elk River Alliance on behalf of the Elk River Watershed Collaborative Monitoring Program. Organizers hope the collaborative format can serve as a model for watershed governance elsewhere in the province.
Caitlin Henneker, Program Manager for the Elk River Watershed Collaborative Monitoring Program, said the event marked an important milestone. “This is the largest event the collaborative has ever hosted—and the first to involve full collaboration between multiple partners,” she said. “We want people from different perspectives to come together, learn from each other, and build a viable path to protect our waterways.”
The event aligns with the provincial government’s commitment to collaborative watershed governance, as outlined in the BC NDP–Green Party Agreement in Principle.
The symposium underscored a unifying message: water is essential and under threat. By coming together across cultures and disciplines, southeast B.C. is taking meaningful steps toward protecting its watersheds—showing that collaboration, respect for knowledge, and timely action are the keys to a sustainable water future.
