Dancing for our oceans in Ottawa

At a co-hosted event between WWF and CPAWS, Haida dancers from the West Coast celebrated the creation of Canada’s first National Marine Conservation Area, or as some are calling it, the ‘Galapagos of the North,’ Gwaii Haanas.

I know I know, we’ve been celebrating Gwaii Haanas for a while now but this time Haida performers helped us bring our healthy oceans message to the doorstep of federal politicians in Ottawa. I had never seen Haida dancers before (like many in the room) and it was quite a special moment.

© Ximena Salcedo/WWF-Canada
Picture it: MPs, Senators, political staff, civil servants and a few hangers on witnessing this ancient dance, totally mesmerized by its beauty and meaning. It did a better job than any briefing note could!

And, I say that having spent the last few years walking into meetings with MPs, our ‘information packages’, ‘backgrounders’ , ‘asks’  and ‘key messages’ all bundled up under my arm, smiling and making the pitch for ocean conservation and smart ocean planning. Sometimes it’s polite questions in response, occasionally some real interest but often it’s blank stares. For the most part our oceans are out of sight and out of mind on Parliament Hill.
But not last night.

We, and especially coastal communities and indigenous peoples, have a deep connection to our oceans. Whether it’s economic dependence and jobs, social and spiritual connections with traditional ways of life, or a deep rooted identification with wild spaces and an unlimited horizon, oceans mean a lot to Canadians.
This kind of experience and exposure for decision makers is a very important part of WWF’s ability to make lasting change in our oceans and promote smart oceans planning and protection.  The regular government relations efforts of course need to be done but when people experience this type of authenticity it’s hard not to do the right thing.