Historic resolution advances First Nations sovereignty, ecological justice, and the development of Anishinaabe Rights of Nature Tribunal

ANISHINABEK NATION TERRITORY (November 13, 2026) — During the Anishinabek Nation Fall Assembly held in the traditional territory of Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation on November 3-4,  in a landmark decision, Anishinabek Nation Chiefs-in-Assembly recognized the inherent Rights of Nature within Anishinabek territory. 

The resolution, presented by Alderville First Nation Chief Taynar Simpson during the Fall Grand Council Assembly, marks an important step in affirming Anishinaabe law, First Nations jurisdiction, and the responsibility to protect all living beings and interconnected ecosystems. 

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige emphasizes the importance of honouring Nibi (water) and reshaping collective decision-making around our responsibilities to Nibi and all of Creation. 

 

“Nibi is life — it is the lifeblood of Mother Earth; it sustains our people, lands and ecosystems, cultures, and future generations. Stewardship was given to Anishinaabeg by Creator, and requires care with humility, and a shared responsibility,” states Grand Council Chief Debassige. “We are called to honour our responsibility as stewards to protect Nibi; it is more than just a resource to profit from—it is a living entity and is symbolic of our sovereignty and traditional governance. By living in balance with Mother Earth, we are keeping alive what we’ve always known as Anishinaabeg. Nibi connects our communities; it connects the decisions of today to the lives of generations yet to come.”  

Reflecting on the significance of the resolution he introduced, Chief Simpson highlighted the deeper meaning of recognizing nature as a living relative. 

 

“Rice Lake is not simply a body of water; it is a living relative, deeply connected to our people, our identity, and our future,” states Chief Simpson. “Recognizing its inherent rights is an affirmation of our responsibility to protect it, not only for ourselves, but for all life that depends on it and for generations yet to come. Through this resolution, we are taking an important step towards ensuring that Anishinaabe laws and our relationship with Creation are reflected in the way we govern, protect, and defend our territories.”  

Grounded in Anishinaabe legal traditions and teachings, the resolution recognizes nature, including waters, lands, ecosystems, plants, animals, and all beings within Creation, as alive, sacred, and possessing inherent value and rights, independently of their use to human beings.
 

The resolution identifies 10 of nature’s inherent rights, including the rights to exist and flourish; maintain ecological integrity and biodiversity; evolve and regenerate; be restored following damage; remain free from pollution and destruction; fulfill ecological functions; be protected from cumulative harms; be represented by First Nation-appointed Guardians, Knowledge Keepers, and Elders; receive preventative and restorative remedies; and seek enforcement through mechanisms established by participating First Nations.
This resolution goes beyond a collective declaration recognizing the Rights of Nature. It establishes a framework enabling each participating First Nation to independently recognize the inherent rights of specific ecosystems, watersheds, lakes, rivers, forests, species, or other natural entities within its territory, through its own resolutions under Anishinaabe law, and to establish the governance, guardianship, and legal mechanisms necessary to ensure that these rights are represented and respected.
 

A particularly significant development is the proposed establishment of an ad hoc Anishinaabe Rights of Nature Tribunal, which would hear alleged violations of Nature’s rights, assess their impacts, and recommend or determine appropriate remedies in accordance with Anishinaabe laws, principles, and governance processes. This initiative advances the development of Indigenous-led mechanisms for ecological and restorative justice.  

“Restorative justice resonates deeply with Anishinaabe principles of reciprocity and relational responsibility. An Anishinaabe Rights of Nature Tribunal offers a meaningful opportunity to put these principles into practice, advancing a form of justice that not only addresses ecological harm, but restores the integrity of ecosystems and the relationships that sustain life,” states Yenny Vega Cárdenas, Co-Founder and President of the International Observatory on the Rights of Nature, and environmental lawyer, who played a key advisory and collaborative role in helping Alderville First Nation establish legal personhood for Pemadeshkodeyong (Rice Lake). 

 

The Anishinabek Nation’s recognition contributes to a growing international movement advancing the Rights of Nature, grounded in Indigenous legal orders and reciprocal responsibilities between human beings and the natural world. It builds on landmark First Nation-led initiatives, including the recognition of the legal personhood and inherent rights of the Magpie River (Muteshekau-shipu) in Québec and Pemadeshkodeyong, whose legal personhood and rights were recognized by Alderville First Nation in 2025. Together, these decisions demonstrate how First Nations are translating their laws, knowledge, and responsibilities towards creation into innovative legal and governance frameworks. 

The Anishinabek Nation is a political advocate for 39 member First Nations across Ontario, representing approximately 70,000 citizens. The Anishinabek Nation is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.