Multilevel governance, climate (in)justice, and settler colonialism—evidence from First Nations disaster evacuations in so-called Canada

Abstract

Wildfires and subsequent community evacuations offer a highly visible example of climate change-induced dislocation. In so-called Canada, both the changing climate and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples are policy priorities for the federal government and certain provincial governments, like the Province of British Columbia. Despite these purported policy priorities, we find evidence that colonial logics–like the rejection of Indigenous governments’ capacity and knowledge to shape this policy area–underpin emergency management, resulting in the perpetuation of inequities and less effective responses. By analyzing data from Indigenous Services Canada, we find that First Nations are disproportionately affected by largely climate-related disasters, evacuating at a higher frequency–328 times higher, on average. We then employ a decolonial lens to analyze the policy landscape and actions taken to date and examine whether emergency management is moving away from unilateral policymaking in favor of more horizontal, multilevel governance arrangements. We find that both the federal and British Columbia governments perpetuate barriers that prevent First Nations from acting as effective first responders in emergency situations.