Roundtable on North American TEK Principles
Montreal, QC
Canada
March 21, 2024
Semi-Private
This one-day in-person roundtable held at the CEC headquarters in Montreal, brings together the CEC’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge Experts Group members, as well as select external Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous rights experts, to discuss essential considerations that should be taken into account and employed when working with Indigenous Peoples, including (but not limited to) acknowledgement, validation, recognition of ownership, consent, identity, privilege, reciprocity, ethics, values, dignity, historical and political context, power dynamics, transparency, participation, accountability, respect of Indigenous cultures and languages, considerations of two-eyed systems, as well as respecting tribal, national, international and other existing principles and agreements related to TEK that may govern or be useful as guidance in the engagement of TEK.
The Roundtable participants will review and discuss advancements that have been made at the tribal, local, national and international levels, on engaging TEK and knowledge holders, and assist the CEC in identifying key guidance and expertise towards the drafting and establishment of North American Principles for Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
Agenda
9:00 am-9:25 am
Opening Remarks
Opening the meeting with a ceremony provided by a member of the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawà:ke
9:30 am-9:40 am
Land Acknowledgement and welcoming remarks
9:40 am-10:00 am
Roundtable Introductions
Jorge Daniel Taillant, Executive Director, CEC
Kathy Hodgson-Smith, TEKEG Facilitator
- Provide context for this roundtable and how it aligns with North American trinational priorities as viewed and engaged through the CEC’s work program across Canada, the United States and Mexico, reflecting on North American commitments to Indigenous engagement and respect for TEK.
- Each participant will be asked to share who they are, where they are from and why there are joining the Roundtable. Participants will share expectations for the roundtable and group agreements will be discussed and adopted to enable
collaborative discussion.
10:00 am-10:15 am
Presentation: TEK and Indigenous Affairs at the CEC
Timothy Gull, TEK and Indigenous Affairs Officer, CEC
Overview of the CEC’s current approaches and priorities related to TEK and the CEC, as well as an overview of the direction, guidance and recommendations submitted to the CEC by Indigenous peoples.
10:15 am-11:45 am
Presentations by External Experts
Participants will be asked to share 10-15 minutes about the work of their community, tribe, government, or organization as it relates to TEK and the objectives of the roundtable.
- Sara Mainville, JFK LAW LLP, Canada
- Kaviq Kaluraq, Nunavut Impact Review Board, Canada
- Henry Lickers, Seneca Nation, Turtle Clan, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, United States
- Hilario Alcántara Uraga, Indígena Matlalzinca, Mexico
- Guadalupe Yesenia Hernández Márquez, Plataforma Intergubernamental sobre Biodiversidad y servicios Ecosistémicos, Mexico
11:45 am-12:30 pm
Facilitated Dialogue: Reflecting on the presentations
TEKEG members and participants will participate in a discussion on how their experiences and perspectives align with or differ from what was shared in the presentations.
1:20 pm-1:50 pm
Performance by drummers, dancers and traditional singers from the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawà:ke
2:00 pm-3:30 pm
Free-flow Roundtable Discussion on TEK Principles
Facilitated dialogue on the considerations, risks, challenges, opportunities, and strategies for developing the TEK Principles.
3:45 pm-4:45 pm
Defining Issues and Next Steps for Developing North American TEK Principles
Moderated discussion to identify issues, focus areas, experts, for the consideration and further development of North American TEK Principles and ways the CEC can help leverage this goal.
4:45 pm-5:00 pm
Closing remarks (in-person and virtual)
Jorge Daniel Taillant, CEC Executive Director