A First Nations Political Ecology of Climate Change in Saskatchewan
Date
2021-06-29
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0000-0001-8407-8988
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Climate change is the major global environmental challenge of this century. Globally, climate change
impacts are unevenly distributed. In Canada, the impacts of climate change are reported to be
exacerbated in northern and Indigenous communities. To help understand why this condition exists, I
have applied the theoretical lens of political ecology as an explanatory tool. Political ecology links
ecological outcomes to power differentials that result from control of government and other institutions
over local and Indigenous peoples. This research took place in three First Nation communities in the
Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Community members collected data for this study using semistructured interviews and a survey questionnaire developed by each community. Data analysis
categorized the impacts of climate change at the individual and community level. This research shows
how the creation of ‘Indian Reserves’ and the forced relocation of Indigenous people onto relatively
small parcels of “land reserved for the Indians” (Indian Act 1876) has led to multi-faceted risk
exposure to weather and climate events. This research makes a contribution to a ‘developed world’
political ecology.
Description
Keywords
Climate Change, Saskatchewan, Canada, Political Ecology, Colonization, First Nation
Citation
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Geography and Planning
Program
Geography