Autumn Peltier - Clean Water Advocate



Autumn Peltier was born on Lake Huron, in the territory of Wikwemkoong, a First Nations reserve. Growing up on the banks of one of the largest groups of freshwater lakes on Earth gave her a deep understanding of the need to preserve and protect water resources. Autumn has been attending water ceremonies on First Nation reserves since she was 8 years old.

She now lives in Ottawa, where she advocates for the universal right to clean drinking water, raising awareness towards water rights and ensuring communities have access to clean, safe and reliable drinking water, focusing on Indigenous peoples in Canada and  across the world. She is now known as the Water Warrior (NAAEE, 2018).


Autumn presented the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with a copper water pot at a meeting of the Assembly of First Nations.


She confronted the Prime minister on his water protection policies and on his support for pipelines, resulting in the creation of the Niabi Odacidae fund. She has since become known for the phrase “we can eat money or drink oil” (Peltier, 2019).


In 2019, Autumn replaced her great-aunt, Josephine Mandamin, as the chief water commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation.

In September 2019, Peltier was nominated for an International Children's Peace Prize and named as one of the United States Union of Concerned Scientists list of 2019 Science Defenders. She was also invited to speak at the United Nation Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit in New York in 2018 and 2019.


You can find more information, including her numerous awards and nominations on Wikipedia.

Story by Cécile Girardin