Liberal government spends $1.7 million of taxpayer funds on 'indigenous climate projects' in Colombia, Zambia

CALGARY — The Liberal government has donated over $1.7 million of taxpayers’ money to two-week seminars aimed at “enhancing the climate resilience” of indigenous peoples in Colombia and Zambia.The project, titled “A World of Wahkohtowin,” is funded through Global Affairs Canada and is in partnership with the Métis National Council (MNC).According to the government’s International Assistance Project Browser, the initiative runs from March 2025 to December 2026 and carries a total approved budget of $1,792,834.It is currently classified as operational, and no results of the programs have been reported yet..When the project was announced in 2025, MNC president Victoria Pruden said in an official statement that “this project reflects the deep kinship that connects indigenous peoples across the globe… In the face of a changing climate, our resilience lies in our relationships, both with one another and with Mother Earth.”The term ‘Wahkohtowin’ originates from Cree philosophy and refers to kinship and to “relationships with the land and all living beings.”Activities for the program include two-week workshops, site visits, cultural exchanges, and storytelling sessions designed to share knowledge on climate adaptation, sustainable resource management, and renewable energy.Canadian partners listed include VIDEA and Indigenous Clean Energy.The government says the initiative aims to foster the “co-creation of climate adaptation strategies that are culturally relevant, locally grounded, and deeply connected to the identities of the nations and peoples involved.”Expected outcomes of the program are said to include increased participation by indigenous groups in international climate forums and improved indigenous-led governance for climate adaptation in the two countries..'Islamophobia' advisor hid $80k pro-Palestine grant from taxpayers .However, the government’s website provides no explanation for why Colombia and Zambia were selected, nor does it clarify how partner communities were chosen, or whether local indigenous groups in those two countries requested or initiated the partnership.That lack of transparency, combined with the project’s emphasis on foreign nations, raises questions about the federal government and MNC’s priorities, especially in light of that organization having longstanding concerns over the lack of funding for new dedicated homes for Métis people under the federal Urban, Rural, and Indigenous Housing Strategy.An Angus Reid Institute poll released in August found that many Canadians remain unconvinced that federal spending on indigenous issues has translated into concrete improvements.Projects such as this one will no doubt do nothing to change that view, especially as Canadians continue to face more pressing challenges at home, from housing shortages to rising costs. The lack of transparency in how taxpayer dollars are allocated by the federal government, along with wasteful spending, will only exacerbate Canadians’ frustrations further as the upcoming tax season looms.

Liberal government spends $1.7 million of taxpayer funds on 'indigenous climate projects' in Colombia, Zambia

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