New Challenges

Remembering We Are Part of Nature

I will consider that we come from nature and we will return to nature.

Headlines fill with predictions about the rise of artificial intelligence. Could a different kind of AI – ‘Ancestral Intelligence’ – offer insights equal to the depth of the climate and biodiversity crises we now face?

The Great Dish 

In Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabek, Métis, and Mohawk cultures, no matter what the language, one common metaphor was the Great Dish, representing the sharing of nature’s abundance of foods and medicines, free for all to benefit from, provided proper respect is shown and nothing is wasted. The spoon is rounded to prevent injury when taking sustenance from the Great Dish.

Under the Great Dish Treaty people agreed to common rules: 

• Only take what you need.
• Do not waste what it offers.
• Share what is in the Dish with everyone.
• Keep the Dish clean.

 Visit the Muskoka Discovery Centre in Gravenhurst or the MDC online exhibit Confluence of Cultures – Misko Aki

Ancestral Wisdom  

We increasingly recognize Ancestral Knowledge for its relevance in addressing modern 
challenges, including climate change and social justice.
 “We must restore climate, soils, forests, and ecosystems. Shift from extraction to regeneration. Conscious action is needed to return to balance.” – Mindahi Bastida

The first Outrage and Optimism podcast of 2026 features a discussion with Mindahi Bastida, from the Otomí-Toltec peoples of Mexico, and Atawévi Akôyi Oussou Lio, Prince of the Tolinou people of Benin (Africa), two Indigenous leaders from different continents and traditions. Together, they explore a relationship with the living world grounded in belonging rather than dominance, continuity rather than short-termism, and reciprocity rather than extraction.

The podcast hosts then reflect on what it means to carry this wisdom into the year ahead. If the challenges before us are not only technical and political, but also cultural and spiritual, how might that reshape the way we act, decide, and lead in 2026 and beyond?
Listen to Beginning the Year With Ancestral Wisdom – Outrage+Optimism podcast

Learn More:

Indigenous Wisdom for Our Time – Mindahi Bastida
The forest is life: Restoring the health of people and place in Benin – Rooted Magazine
Indigenous Peoples – Climate Action Muskoka

Previous Challenges:

Nature Nurtures – Climate Action Muskoka
Preserve Biodiversity – Nurture ‘Everyday Awe’

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Where Does My Food Come From?

I will refocus on where my food comes from. Fact: On average, about 50 per cent of vegetables besides potatoes, and 75 per cent of fruits eaten in Canada, are imported.  Source

Growing our own, buying locally, eating in-season produce, and the choices we make at the supermarket are vital to food security and an independent Canadian economy.  Sometimes our food choices become political.

Today, with the twin threats of climate change worldwide and economic bullying from the US, knowing where our food comes from is more important than ever.

We must become less dependent on imported food, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables from the US.  Other trading partners can provide the food we will import in the future.  In all areas, we must lessen our dependence on single source suppliers.

Reducing our carbon footprint, preserving biodiversity, knowing where our food comes from, and enjoying the health benefits of gardening is always a win, win, win.

For “growing your own” help, check out the CAM resources below. Find out where Canada’s fruits and vegetables come from here.  

CAM Resources:

• Grow your own food | Buy locally grown | Eat in season.
• Grow Your Own – Vegetables
• Growing Your Own Food   “Embracing Nature’s Cycle”
• Preserve Your Own Food   “ Holy Victory Garden Batman”
• The Carbon Footprint of Food   “Diet for a Small Planet”

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Embrace a Carbon-Free Future

I look forward to and will advocate for a carbon pollution-free future. There is an element of science fiction in climate action. Quote: “We are shaping the future we long for and have not yet experienced. I believe that we are in an imagination battle.” – Adrienne Maree Brown.

We struggle to envision a carbon-free future. We are held captive by a desire to maintain the status quo and by the very human fear of change. Fossil fuel industry propaganda has reinforced our fears.

Therefore, we need to amplify the stories of people who are already building a better world. We need to speak of a future where we no longer burn fossil fuels; a future where we enjoy the benefits of reduced pollution; a future with natural habitat and biodiversity preserved; a future where we have mitigated the effects of climate change.

At the 400,000-strong climate march in New York City back in 2014, a huge banner declared: WE HAVE THE SOLUTIONS. Even today, many people still believe we do not. The Carbon tracker report from 2021 tells us that “the technical and economic barriers have been crossed and the only impediment to change is political.” Source

A carbon-free world is possible. Talk to your local representatives about the future you want and vote for that future in upcoming provincial and federal elections. Imagine a different world.

Resources

•  ‘If you win the popular imagination, you change the game’: why we need new stories on climate | Climate Crisis | The Guardian
• The Sky’s the Limit: Solar and wind energy potential – Carbon Tracker Initiative
•  Preserve Biodiversity – Nurture ‘Everyday Awe’ – Climate Action Muskoka
• Our Provincial and Federal Representatives – Climate Action Muskoka
•  The Future We Choose | Climate Crisis & Solutions Book | Global Optimism

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Active Transportation

I will advocate locally for safe connected bike lanes and for safe connected walking and hiking trails. Quote: “Bicycle lanes are an essential element of urban transportation planning and road safety.” Source: Association of Municipalities of Ontario in response to Ontario Bill 212.

Municipal expertise is best-positioned to make decisions on bike lanes and local transportation planning both in urban and rural areas of Muskoka. Based on local knowledge and community input, municipalities can develop transportation plans that balance traffic flow with other transportation priorities like walking and biking.

The resulting reduction of carbon pollution improves air quality, fosters healthier communities, and supports global efforts to halt climate heating.

It is time to plan for and build active transportation infrastructure in Muskoka. Talk to your local municipal councillor about what is needed to connect your neighbourhood to an active transportation network and remind MPP Graydon Smith about Doug Ford’s promise to bring back the train.

Local Shopping and Tourism

We can make Muskoka an international ecotourism destination by providing sustainable travel options that connect tourists with Muskoka’s natural habitat, accommodations, camping opportunities, and our heritage communities.

Resources

• Active Transportation for Muskoka — Climate Action Muskoka
• Do bike lanes really cause more traffic congestion? CBC
• Separated Bike Lane — Rural Design Guide
• A car-less dream for all of Muskoka — Gordon Laxer in Muskoka Region
• Muskoka and Algonquin — Ontario By Bike
• Impacts of active mobility on individual health — Science Direct
• Why Is Sustainable Transport Important? Sustainably Forward

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Get Yourselves and The Kids Outside More

I will ensure the kids get outside more and encourage independent play.  Quote: “Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we are going to save environmentalism and the environment, we must also save an endangered indicator species: the child in nature.” ~ Richard Louv

In his 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods” Richard Louv defined what teachers, researchers, and physicians were seeing in many children as Nature-Deficit Disorder.

Children have recently become more disconnected from the natural world.
Among the reasons are the proliferation of electronics; poor urban planning; increased street traffic; diminished importance of the natural world in education; and parental fear magnified by news and entertainment media.

All this contributes to a diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, obesity, and higher rates of emotional and physical illnesses. We know how to reverse this trend. Studies show that for children and adults, exposure to nature will decrease stress and violent tendencies and is vital to healthy human development.

Research also suggests that nature-deficit weakens ecological literacy and stewardship of the natural world. We must ensure all children have equitable access to outdoor spaces where they can learn, play and grow. A knowing of nature is essential for future generations to imagine a world in which they can all live in harmony with nature.

Resources

• Interview June 2024 – The Future and the New Nature Movement / Guest: Richard Louv Author of Last Child in the Woods (youtube.com)
• More Green, Less Screen: Children & Nature Network
• What is Nature-Deficit Disorder?: Children & Nature Network
• Connecting With Nature: Canadian Wildlife Federation

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