Water Declaration of Alexander First Nation
- Alexander First Nation
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
Water Is Life: Why Alexander First Nation Issued a Water Declaration
For Alexander First Nation, water is not just a resource. It is a living system that sustains the land, the people, the animals, and the culture. It carries responsibilities, not just benefits.
That understanding is the foundation of the Alexander First Nation Water Declaration.
The Declaration exists because the relationship between the Nation and its waters has been changing — not by choice, but by outside decisions, land use changes, and infrastructure systems that were never designed to protect the whole watershed.
Over time, creeks have been altered. Wetlands have been drained. Water has been redirected away from places like Sandy Lake and other important areas of the territory. These changes have affected water levels, water quality, wildlife, and the ability of community members to use the land the way they once did.
The Water Declaration is a formal statement of responsibility.
It affirms that Alexander First Nation has an inherent responsibility to protect water in all its forms — surface water, groundwater, wetlands, lakes, and rivers — not only for today, but for future generations.
It also makes something else clear: water protection is not optional, and it is not temporary.
The Declaration sets out guiding principles that now shape the AFN NIPÎY initiative, including:
That water is sacred and alive
That the Nation has a responsibility to protect it
That decisions affecting water must respect this relationship
And that long-term stewardship must guide planning, infrastructure, and governance
Most importantly, the Declaration is not symbolic.
It is now being put into practice through real planning, real studies, and real projects — including the Water Resiliency Assessment, the Master Drainage Plan, and the Water Sovereignty Action Plan.
The Declaration is the moral and cultural foundation of this work.
AFN NIPÎY is how that foundation is being turned into action.
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