From Responsibility to Action: The Framework Behind Alexander First Nation’s Water Sovereignty Work

Alexander First Nation’s water work is not happening by accident, and it is not being built piece by piece without direction.

It is guided by a clear, structured framework developed with MAGNA Engineering Services Inc. to help the Nation understand its water systems, reclaim stewardship, and build a long-term action plan grounded in both technical knowledge and community values.

The Water Sovereignty and Water Resiliency framework begins with a simple truth: water protection is inseparable from self-determination. Without the ability to understand, manage, and protect clean land and water, the Nation’s responsibility to future generations cannot be fulfilled.

This is why AFN NIPÎY is built on a process — not just a list of projects.

A Method That Respects Both Knowledge Systems

The brochure outlines an approach that combines technical engineering data with traditional knowledge from Elders and Knowledge Keepers. This ensures that decisions about water are not made by maps and models alone, but are guided by lived experience, cultural teachings, and long-standing relationships with the land.

This balance is critical.

Technical studies can show where systems are failing, but only community knowledge can explain what has been lost, what still matters, and what must be protected for the future.

Step One: Understanding the System

The first step in the process is to gather background information and data.

This includes reviewing:

• Existing Nation documents

• External studies and reports

• Historical information

• Technical assessments of infrastructure and land use

  
  

It also includes mapping the watershed and understanding how water moves across the territory today.

This work creates the foundation for everything that follows. Without a clear understanding of current conditions, it is impossible to plan effective protection or restoration.

Step Two: Listening to the Community

The second step focuses on engagement with Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Listening sessions are held to gather:

• Traditional knowledge

• Observations of how the land and water have changed

• Community concerns

• Cultural values related to water, land, and future generations

  
  

These sessions ensure that the direction of the project is shaped by community voices, not just technical priorities.

Step Three: Setting the Right Priorities

The third step brings technical information and community knowledge together.

At this stage, the Nation:

• Identifies the most pressing water-related issues

• Assesses vulnerabilities and risks to water access and quality

• Refines priorities based on shared values and current conditions

  
  

This is how the project avoids being overwhelmed by too many problems at once. It ensures that time, energy, and resources are focused where they matter most.

Step Four: Turning Knowledge into Action

The final step is to build an action plan.

This includes:

• Researching potential solutions and future projects

• Identifying funding opportunities

• Assessing and ranking initiatives

• Creating a high-level implementation roadmap

  
  

This is where planning becomes action, and where AFN NIPÎY moves from understanding and strategy into real, on-the-ground work.

Why This Matters

This framework is more than a planning tool.

It is how Alexander First Nation is reclaiming responsibility for its waters in a way that is:

• Structured

• Defensible

• Community-led

• And focused on long-term stewardship

  
  

It ensures that water protection is not reactive, not piecemeal, and not dependent on outside agendas.

Instead, it is guided by the Nation’s own values, priorities, and vision for the future.

The Foundation of AFN NIPÎY

This four-step framework now underpins the entire AFN NIPÎY initiative.

It is the reason the Nation has been able to:

• Identify Environmental Protection and Restoration as the top priority

• Build a clear Water Sovereignty Strategy

• Link technical studies like the Master Drainage Plan to community goals

• And move forward with confidence toward implementation

  
  

Looking Ahead

Protecting water is not a single project.

It is a long-term responsibility.

By following this structured, Nation-led approach, Alexander First Nation is building more than plans.

It is rebuilding a system — one that can hold, clean, and carry life for generations to come.