"If We Don't Have Water, We Don't Have Life" - Elders from Treaty 6, 7 and 8 Stand Together to Affirm Treaty and Protect Our Water

(TREATY 6 TERRITORY) EDMONTON, AB, June 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Following the 2 nd Chiefs Gathering on Water, a group of Elders in Treaty 6, 7, and 8 territories wish to issue a clear statement to First Nations Peoples and leaders, and to the Government of Canada. We speak together from a place of unity, with the wisdom of our ancestors, grounded in our ceremonies and guided by our Creation stories—stories that come from the land.
In nearly every First Nation, we see and feel what has happened to our water, land, animals, and ways of being, knowing and doing. We see water that cannot be consumed, animals that cannot be eaten, and ceremony that is not honoured. Water is our relative. If we don't have water, we don't have life.
"If we don't act now, it may be too late," says Dr. Charles Weaselhead, former Blood Tribe Chief and Treaty 7 Grand Chief. "As Chief, I witnessed the devolution of services and rights for our Peoples, issues that came up time and again with each government elected. We know how it plays out; transfer responsibility to Nations without the equal transfer of authority, adequate funding and control that recognizes our inherent sovereignty within these territories."
First Nations Peoples have lived under colonial systems that undermine our inherent right to self-determination and the proper care of our Peoples for far too long.
"We remind all governments that our Treaty rights are not granted but affirmed. This is a relationship with the Crown, and it endures to this day," says Mel Beaver from Bigstone Cree Nation in Treaty 8. Further reminding Chiefs, "When are we going to wake up and act like who we are, strong people of Treaty 6, 7 and 8? We think we don't have power, but we do."
This is an important and critical time, and Treaty cannot be ignored any longer.
"We came together to discuss the issues in our nations and to secure water protection for our Peoples," says Rose Crowshoe from Piikani Nation. "We are the keepers of this land, of our cultures, and the well-being of seven generations in the future—for our grandchildren's grandchildren. We are carriers of the water, and we must protect it, because water is life."
As Elders, we are reclaiming who we are to show the world what we can do when we stand together. Now is the time. To all First Nations Peoples, our strength is with each other.
About the 2 nd Chiefs Gathering on Water and Related Infrastructure
The 2 nd Chiefs Gathering on Water brought together more than 70 Elders to speak about water, Treaty rights, and a path forward, now and for seven generations in the future. Grounded in pipe ceremony, the Gathering provided an important forum for Elders to share teachings and stories with Chiefs and technicians in Treaty 6, 7 and 8 to spark a call to action before it is too late.
About the Chiefs Steering Committee
The Chiefs Steering Committee on Technical Services (CSC) was established to provide oversight and direction to the First Nations Technical Services Advisory Group (TSAG). TSAG is a not-for-profit group to serve First Nations in Treaty 6, 7, and 8 across the Alberta region to support the interests and needs of First Nations, working together with Chiefs and technicians to address water, housing, health, education and infrastructure.
CSC Elders and Youth Advisory Group
As the carriers of ancestral wisdom and traditional teachings, Elders and Knowledge Holders provide the spiritual, cultural, and historical context necessary to understand the deep relationship between our people and water. Their role in supporting Chiefs in the fight to protect Treaty rights and water is foundational, as they offer a deep understanding of natural law, oral histories, and the sacred agreements between Treaty Nations and the Crown.

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