Clean water at the heart of Deline, N.W.T., conference
David Suzuki to deliver keynote speech
Scientists and community leaders are flooding into Deline, N.W.T., today to discuss how to best manage one of Canada's most precious resources: water.
The Deline Land Corporation is hosting the community's first week-long Tudze, or Water Heart, conference, with environmentalist David Suzuki as the keynote speaker.
The name Tudze comes from a Dene legend about a living, breathing heart at the bottom of Great Bear Lake.
Organizers hope the conference will help aboriginal governments and communities manage their respective watershed.
Suzuki's keynote speech Tuesday will focus on the sustainable use of water,
Chief Allan Adam of Fort Chipewyan, Alta., will give a presentation Wednesday about "lessons learned." Fort Chipewyan is downstream from the Alberta oil sands.
Organizers say scientists and leaders from across western Canada will attend, but no members members of the N.W.T. legislature are scheduled to take part.
The conference runs until Thursday. It will wrap up with list of resolutions, followed by a drum dance.