Byron Williams & Taylor Galvin: Lake Winnipeg's Fight for Rights

When Byron Williams and Taylor Galvin sit down to discuss their unprecedented legal case, one thing becomes clear - they're fighting for something much bigger than themselves. The duo is part of a landmark effort to grant legal rights to Lake Winnipeg under Section 7 of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms - the first case of its kind in Canada.

In this episode, we explore how traditional Indigenous knowledge and Western legal frameworks are coming together to protect one of the world's largest freshwater lakes. Taylor Galvin, a proud member of the Sturgeon Clan from Broken Head Ojibway Nation, brings spiritual and cultural context to the lake's significance, while veteran public interest lawyer Byron Williams breaks down the legal strategy that could reshape environmental protection across Canada.

We're covering:

• Why Lake Winnipeg is considered "sick" and what that means for communities that depend on it
• How Manitoba Hydro's 50-year license renewal in 2026 creates a critical window for action
• The role of Indigenous women as water protectors and knowledge carriers
• Ways that Western science and Indigenous knowledge can work together to heal the lake

This isn't just a story about environmental protection - it's about reconciliation, indigenous rights, and reimagining our relationship with the natural world. As Williams puts it: "I don't think our clients are the radical ones here. I think our clients are asking Manitoba to do what they should have done 50 years ago."

Guests:

• Byron Williams - Director, Public Interest Law Center
• Taylor Galvin - Graduate Student, University of Manitoba & Indigenous Knowledge Carrier

To learn more about this groundbreaking case, visit the Southern Chiefs' Organization website to read the full Statement of Claim.

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