Summary
On April 19, 2023, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) passed a resolution recognizing the legal personhood of the St. Lawrence River in Canada. This resolution was presented at the United Nations during the 12th Interactive Dialogue on Harmony with Nature to commemorate the International Mother Earth Day. The resolution states that “the AFNQL Chiefs wish to build an Alliance for the defense of the River and its fisheries resources, aiming at proposing a law granting a legal personhood status of the River based on a governance model determined by the First Nations themselves.” The resolution is intended to confirm the intention of the Chiefs of the AFNQL to be key players in all political, legislative, and legal decisions affecting the present and future of the St. Lawrence River system.
AFNQL is composed of the Chiefs of the 43 First Nations communities located in Quebec and Labrador and represents a total of 10 nations: Abenaki, Algonquin, Atikamekw, Cree, Huron-Wendat, Maliseet, Mi’gmaq, Innu Mohawk and Naskapi. This initiative is part of a collective effort by the Chiefs to establish a First Nation alliance aimed at ensuring the protection and sustainability of the St. Lawrence ecosystem and the Great Lakes Watershed.