01/29/2026
NWAC is excited to invite you to a webinar exploring how Indigenous women in all their diversity sustain biodiversity through their Traditional Ecological Knowledge, daily practices, livelihoods and cultural traditions.
The session will feature Valérie Courtois and Shianne McKay, two Indigenous women with extensive experience in the conservation and protection of biodiversity, and who currently lead national Indigenous environmental organizations working on projects across the country.
• Valérie Courtois – a member of the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh on the shores of Peikuakami (Lac-Saint-Jean), Executive Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, where she leads national efforts to advance Indigenous-led conservation and land-based practices.
• Shianne McKay – Ojibway from Minegoziibe Anishinaabe (Treaty 2 & 4), Co-Executive Director of the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, leading community-driven environmental action in partnership with First Nations across the country.
📌 Topic: Roots of Biodiversity: Centring Indigenous Women’s Knowledge
📅 Date: Thursday, February 19, 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM (EST)
Simultaneous Translation services will be available for English into French / French into English
This session is designed for Indigenous women in all their diversity to connect and share how their cultural practices, knowledge, and lived experiences support the conservation of biodiversity on land and in water.
➡️ Register now: https://ow.ly/kYEz50Y4hBm
For more information, please contact the Environment Unit at environment@nwac.ca
Thank you to Environment and Climate Change Canada for funding this important work.
