Will the Voices of Indigenous People in Canada Be Louder at the G7?

Translated by Erica Cervellera

This year’s G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, is not only the stage for important political decisions but also an opportunity to amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples.
Held on Treaty 7 Territory – an area in southern Alberta where Treaty 7 was signed in 1877 between the British Crown, represented by the Canadian government, and several First Nations – the summit will highlight the crucial role Indigenous communities play in addressing the climate crisis. For generations, Indigenous peoples have been the guardians of ecosystems and advocates for sustainability and respect for nature. In Canada and worldwide, Indigenous lands host over 80% of global biodiversity, making their protection indispensable for the ecological health of the planet.

As the host country, Canada intends this year to go beyond symbolic recognition and commit to concretely supporting Indigenous leadership on climate. Giving space to these voices at the G7 summit could serve as an example of more inclusive, just, and sustainable global governance.

On the other hand, in an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, five pro-development Indigenous organizations from western Canada have emphasized the strategic role of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a tool for global energy security and emissions reduction. The authors of the letter hope that Carney will deliver a clear and positive message on LNG during the summit, highlighting its transformative potential for Indigenous communities. For them, LNG is not only an economic resource but a concrete way to escape energy poverty and overcome ongoing drinking water advisories that still affect many reserves. According to John Desjarlais, director of the Indigenous Resource Network, resource development can be a powerful tool for self-determination and reconciliation. In a global context where the demand for LNG is set to grow, the summit provides Canada with an opportunity to reposition itself as a key partner for countries like Japan, looking for alternatives to expiring contracts with Russia, while also promoting energy projects co-developed with Indigenous communities.

However, despite the attention and the fact that the summit takes place on unceded Indigenous lands, no voice from the First Nations will be present at the decision-making tables.
In recent days, the G7 Jubilee People’s Forum was held in Calgary, a meeting promoted by civil society organizations, interfaith groups, and activists for social and ecological justice: delegations from Africa, Palestine, Guatemala, and various Indigenous communities from Turtle Island gathered to demand justice for global debt and recognition of the ecological debts contracted by Northern nations toward Indigenous peoples and the Global South. The Forum highlighted the direct link between economic inequality, colonialism, and the climate crisis, calling for the cancellation of unjust debts, a structural reform of the international financial system, and the full implementation of the right to free, prior, and informed consent for Indigenous peoples, as enshrined in the UN Declaration.

With all their might, Indigenous communities are trying to seize this historical moment, with the world’s eyes focused on their territories, to bring forward the issues they hold most important – often ignored – into the heart of the G7 summit.