I am grateful to be writing this newsletter from Moh’kinstis, and the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations. The Treaties were an agreement to share the land and must be honoured. I support land back as an act of reconciliation. Lands inhabited by Indigenous peoples contain 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge systems are critical to creating a more harmonious future for all. My Scottish/Irish ancestors were immigrants who travelled by ship to the east coast in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s. We arrived uninvited on the traditional unceded territory of the Wəlastəkewiyik (Maliseet) whose along with the Mi’Kmaq / Mi’kmaw and Passamaquoddy / Peskotomuhkati Tribes / Nations had signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the British Crown in the 1700s. As a child in the 1970’s, my parents moved the family west to work in the oil sands and I spent my teen years growing up in Treaty 8 territory, the traditional lands of the Denesuline and Cree People.
There have already been two anti-AI protests at City Hall so far this year and the number of people turning up has doubled.
The movement in Alberta against AI data centres is showing no sign of letting up. Opposition to data centres crosses party lines - people on both the right and left of the political spectrum and everywhere in between - are extremely wary of the benefits of AI.
Inspired by a recent Greta Thunberg Instagram post, I decided to post this photo essay totally in black and white. Enjoy some local protest art.
The Missive frequently includes original photography, as well as regular updates and reporting on AI data centre developments. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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