By Matteo Cimellaro Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has upped support for the Indigenous Guardians program, which gives First Nations greater sovereignty over ancestral territories. An additional $30 million announced last week will enable 80 First Nations to move forward with their Guardians programs, creating employment for Indigenous communities and supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts. For Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg (KZA) near Ottawa, the Guardians program is being welcomed by the community. The funding received for 2023 is the same amount as this year, so it’ll help maintain the program, said Erik Higgins, a representative from KZA’s Natural Resource and Wildlife Office. Higgins said the cash support allows KZA to have “moccasins on the ground” Guardians who go out on the land to monitor developments on
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