Civilization is going to need to burn fossil fuels for a little while longer. The only real questions are how much longer — and how to make the transition to renewable power. Overseeing the contribution that the Métis Nation of Alberta will make to that transition is Andres Filella. Born and raised in Ecuador, Filella moved to Edmonton for a degree in chemical engineering and then worked on greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas sector before switching to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, where he now leads a 20-member Environment and Climate Team. Their biggest project so far is the Salay Prayzaan Solar Farm at Métis Crossing, which had its opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony in June of 2024. The name means “gift from the sun” in Michif. The 5 megawatts of electricity it generates is enough to power 1,200 homes, making it the largest Indigenous-run solar solar installation in Canada.
In this episode of The True Canadians, Filella explains to host David Wylynko how he and his team are applying the Indigenous concept of “askiy” — Cree for “interconnected Earth” — to tackling climate change and other environmental challenges. Turns out there’s a significant difference between askiy and conventional Western approaches to the relationship between humans and nature.
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