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Indigenous voices

Update: The federal budget was released on April 7 – and the freshwater funding announced within it is shockingly lower than the government’s election commitment. Our report card had assigned a B grade in anticipation of the promised renewal of the Lake Winnipeg Basin Program. That grade has been swiftly downgraded to an F. What does the future hold for regional water-protection initiatives across Canada? Read our Budget 2022 reaction to learn more.

On World Water Day (March 22), LWF and our partners at the Lake Winnipeg Indigenous Collective (LWIC) are releasing a report card which grades the...

In the leadup to Canada’s election, we sent three questions to Manitoba candidates to better understand their commitments to Lake Winnipeg.

Here's what we learned.


Surprisingly, only nine* candidates responded to our request. You can review their commitments below, by clicking on the candidates' names. 

Conservative Party of Canada

James Bezan, Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman

Green Party of Canada

Greg Boettcher, Winnipeg South

Janine Gibson, Provencher

Doug Hemmerling, Winnipeg South Centre

Ralph McLean, Churchill-Keewatinook Aski

Laurent Poliquin, Saint Boniface-Saint Vital

Liberal Party of Canada...

Despite decades of government commitments, Lake Winnipeg’s health continues to decline. 

In the leadup to Canada’s election on Sept. 20, the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and the Lake Winnipeg Indigenous Collective are reminding federal candidates that promises are not enough. It’s time for immediate action that generates measurable results. 

WHAT WE’RE DOING: 

Together, LWF and LWIC have released a plan for federal action: Five Things the Federal Government Must Do for Lake Winnipeg. This road map identifies specific, concrete actions achievable in less than five years to achieve real impact for...

Canada is a country defined by water – and improving the health of Lake Winnipeg is a well-established national priority, acknowledged through the policy priorities, mandate letters and throne speeches of successive federal governments.

But how do we move beyond good intentions and begin achieving meaningful results?

Together, the Lake Winnipeg Foundation and the Lake Winnipeg Indigenous Collective have released a position paper which identifies five things the federal government must do for Lake Winnipeg right now.

They are:

1. Recognize phosphorus as the cause of blue-green algal blooms on...

In 2018, the Manitoba Climate and Green Plan Act established an Expert Advisory Council to provide advice and recommendations to the Minister of Conservation and Climate. In August, this council solicited stakeholder input on a provincial water management strategy for Manitoba.

Our submission advocates for a science-based, outcome-focused strategy to effectively translate policy into meaningful practice to safeguard our shared waters. Such a strategy must be supported by robust evidence, include measurable targets and defined timelines for action, and strengthen monitoring and reporting...

LWF’s work was recently featured in an article by DeSmog Canada as part of its “Ripple Effect” series, a collection of stories about efforts to protect Canada’s fresh water.

Along with Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, LWF helped organize the gathering of First Nations mentioned in the article. We recognize that the unique and too often marginalized voices of Indigenous peoples are a vital part of any sustainable solutions for Lake Winnipeg, and we feel privileged to be able to help facilitate this process.

LWF communications director Marlo...

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