The Southern Chiefs’ Group (SCO) of Manitoba filed a claim searching for authorized personhood for Lake Winnipeg on Thursday.
The declare for personhood is predicated on Section 7 of the Constitution of Rights and Freedoms, which states that “everybody has the appropriate to life, liberty and safety of the individual and the appropriate to not be disadvantaged thereof besides in accordance with the rules of basic justice”. Granting personhood to the Lake would create a manner for courts to acknowledge rights for Lake Winnipeg.
The assertion of claim is rooted within the mixture of constitution rights jurisprudence and Anishinaabe philosophy. The Anishinaabe have a deep relationship with and respect for the pure options of the land and Anishinaabe regulation imposes an obligation to “communicate on behalf of Lake Winnipeg”.
The Authorities of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro are defendants within the proceedings. The SCO alleges that Manitoba Hydro’s Lake Winnipeg Regulation undertaking has had degrading impacts on the Lake’s well being. Mary Maytwayashing, a consultant of the SCO, acknowledged:
Weeniibiikiisagaygun (Lake Winnipeg) has a spirit, is sacred and resides. First Nations Data Keepers, land customers and rights holders inform us that Lake Winnipeg is struggling and she or he is sick. Western scientists agree. It’s our accountability to talk on behalf of Lake Winnipeg as she is unable to talk for herself. Her well-being is essential to the well being of present and future generations.
Authorized personhood was granted to the Magpie River in Quebec in 2022. By means of this recognition, the river was granted the rights “to evolve naturally, to be protected and preserved, to be free from air pollution, and to sue”.
Similar efforts to acknowledge authorized personhood and rights for our bodies of water have been gaining momentum over the previous few years world wide.
Source / Picture: jurist.org
