Part of international Great Lakes delegation speaking against tariffs
WASHINGTON, DC—The Great Lakes, vast and ancient, cradle the lives of millions. They are not just bodies of water but living, breathing entities—repositories of history, sustenance and spirit. Now, as new tariffs imposed by President Trump threaten economic stability and environmental protections across this sacred watershed, Indigenous leaders, municipal officials and policymakers are uniting in an urgent stand to defend them.
At the heart of this movement is Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige who arrived in Washington, DC as a representative for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) with a clear message: “First Nations have never surrendered the Great Lakes, and we must be at the table where decisions about them are made.”
GLSLCI is a binational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government leaders working together to protect the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. It brings together over 244 mayors and local officials from communities across the United States and Canada to advocate for stronger environmental protections, economic sustainability, and collaborative governance over these vital freshwater systems.
The Initiative integrates environmental, economic, and social policies to preserve and restore the Great Lakes, which provide drinking water to 40 million people and sustains over 4,000 species of plants and wildlife. The coalition collaborates with key organizations, including the International Joint Commission, the Great Lakes Commission, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environment Canada to advocate for investment in infrastructure, conservation efforts and responsible policy-making.
Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige serves on the board of directors, ensuring that First Nations’ voices and treaty rights are central to discussions about the future of these waters.
Her role emphasizes the importance of Indigenous leadership in decision-making, particularly in the face of tariffs, deregulation, and climate threats that could further endanger the Great Lakes ecosystem.
By standing together, GLSLCI members reaffirm that water is life and must be protected not only as an economic resource but as a living entity that sustains all life.
A Sacred Duty: Water is Life
“Our people have always carried the responsibility of protecting the water,” Grand Chief Debassige declared. “Water is life. It is sacred. And we cannot allow policies driven by profit to continue the cycle of destruction.”
She credits her strength and resolve to the First Nations water protectors and knowledge keepers who have walked before her, particularly Josephine Mandamin-baa, who undertook the first water walks across the Great Lakes to raise awareness of their fragility.
The Grand Chief credits both the late water walker and all those who continue that work: “They are the ones who give me the strength to say what needs to be said,” Grand Chief Debassige told The Expositor. “They continue to teach me so that I can continue to teach others.”
As she stood before US lawmakers, mayors and fellow advocates, she reminded them of a simple, undeniable truth: “Without water, there is no economy. Without water, there are no people. I’d like to see people try to eat dollar bills and coins. They say you can live for three seconds without air, three days without water and three weeks without food. Creator didn’t give us these resources to leverage against one another. It’s time to stop fighting in the sandbox and come together on what matters the most to our collective survival.”
Tariffs and Deregulation: An Assault on the Great Lakes and First Nations
The 25 percent tariffs recently announced by the Trump administration pose a direct threat to both the economic and ecological stability of the Great Lakes region. The tariffs will disrupt trade, stifle investment in conservation and undermine Indigenous-led environmental stewardship.
“These tariffs will devastate First Nations and Tribal Nations on both sides of the border,” said Grand Chief Debassige. “Our First Nations have always been trade nations. We have never given up our right to these waters—we only agreed to share them.”
Read our related story, “Counter tariffs may be popular, but are they the right route?”
The Great Lakes economy, valued at $8 trillion CAD ($6 trillion USD), is home to 107 million people, 51 million jobs and is the third-largest economy in the world. But Grand Chief Debassige made it clear: economic prosperity cannot come at the cost of environmental sustainability and the wellbeing of the people who rely on these waters.
“Our people are still living off the land,” she emphasized. “Algae blooms, invasive species like the Asian carp, the collapse of phytoplankton that our whitefish depend on—these are not just environmental issues. They threaten our very existence.”
A United Front: Building Alliances for Water Protection
Grand Chief Debassige and her US counterpart from the Tribal Nations delegation led crucial meetings with US Senators and Representatives, pressing for Indigenous leadership in decisions impacting the Great Lakes. She described the experience as both a relationship building mission and a rallying cry.
“We know the turmoil that is on both sides of the border right now,” she noted. “The goalposts keep moving, and people are confused, trying to understand what is really going on. But we cannot afford to be distracted. We need clarity. We need action.”
Among those who joined the delegation were representatives from the Mississippi River Basin, whom the Grand Chief noted was very important as the Mississippi River is connected to the Great Lakes through its principal tributary, the Illinois River, emphasizing the ways in which water connects us all.
“When we look at the water, we have more in common than we do that divides us,” Grand Chief Debassige reminded attendees. “The Mississippi River is fed by the Great Lakes. Water does not recognize borders. It flows, it connects, it sustains.”
First Nations at the Table: A Call for Recognition
Throughout her meetings, Grand Chief Debassige repeatedly invoked the Jay Treaty, particularly Section Three, which guarantees unimpeded access for First Nations across the US-Canada border to engage in trade.
“I constantly brought up the Jay Treaty,” she told The Expositor. “The US recognizes on their side of the border that First Nations must have the unimpeded ability to trade, as we have done since time immemorial. So, when it comes to tariffs, this is a conversation that our First Nations need to be having at both the federal and provincial levels, here in Canada and abroad. We need our chiefs involved with Canada’s governing bodies as this has direct impacts on our people. We should be at that table, and we must be at that table.”
During her keynote address at Capitol Hill, she also issued a stark reminder to those focused solely on economic arguments.
“Without water, without the gifts that Mother Earth has given us, there is no economy. There is no life. We have forgotten to honour that.”
Rejecting the Tariffs, Reaffirming Responsibilities
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative passed a resolution rejecting all tariffs that harm cross-border cooperation and Indigenous trade rights.
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative strongly opposes the proposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States, recognizing the critical role of the region’s cross-border trade, which supports a $6 trillion USD regional economy. With 50 percent of Canada-U.S. bilateral trade flowing through this region, such tariffs threaten businesses, jobs, and competitiveness, while exacerbating supply chain disruptions and increasing costs for consumers. These measures undermine the principles of free trade and could result in a 1.6 percent GDP decline in the US and 2.6 percent in Canada. The Cities Initiative calls for immediate action from regional states, provinces, and local governments to resist these tariffs, protect jobs, and explore a collaborative strategy, including a potential Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Unity Summit, to safeguard the region’s economic future. This resolution seeks to unite municipal, Indigenous, and business leaders in a strong, coordinated response to mitigate the impacts of a trade war and support regional prosperity.
“Mother Earth does not need us. We need Mother Earth,” Grand Chief Debassige stressed in her keynote address. “And we must show respect, not just in words, but in action.”
She spoke of the growing solidarity between First Nations, Tribal Nations, and municipal leaders across the region, pointing to a critical shift in awareness.
“There is power in numbers,” she said. “And when we focus on the goal—protecting these waters—we can move mountains. We can move policies. We can ensure that the Great Lakes remain alive and thriving for future generations.”
A Message for Leaders: Step Out of the Sandbox
As the meetings in Washington unfolded, Grand Chief Debassige made a direct appeal to the political leaders of both Canada and the United States.
“Our prime minister, the president of the US and all other leaders need to stop fighting in the sandbox,” she said. “At the end of the day, it is the people who suffer. It is the children who suffer from these political games.”
The path forward, she emphasized, is one of collaboration and recognition of Indigenous leadership.
“We cannot be forgotten. Our ancestors helped sustain settler life on Turtle Island. We showed them our highways—the waterways. And now, it is time to acknowledge that we are still here, still protecting, still ensuring that these lands and waters remain for the next seven generations.”
A Future Rooted in Responsibility
As Grand Chief Debassige prepared to leave Washington, she carried with her the voices of the ancestors, the strength of the waterwalkers, and the determination of a people who refuse to be left out of decisions that shape their future.
“The Creator gave us the Great Lakes,” she reminded everyone. “And we have a shared duty to protect them. Not just for today, not just for ourselves, but for the generations yet to come.”
The struggle is far from over, but the movement is growing. With First Nations leading the way, supported by allies who understand the stakes, the fight to protect the Great Lakes has never been stronger.
A Call to Action for the Municipalities of Manitoulin Island
Grand Chief Debassige has urged the municipalities of Manitoulin Island to take a strong stand in defense of the Great Lakes, reinforcing their commitment to environmental protection, cross-border cooperation, and Indigenous partnership by joining the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.
“I call on the leaders of Manitoulin Island to stand with us,” she declared. “Amplify First Nations voices and ensure that local governance reflects our shared duty to these waters. The Great Lakes sustain all of our people, Indigenous and settler alike, our livelihoods, and our future generations. Now is the time to stand together.”
