From the Salish Sea to the Nation’s Capital: QENTOL,YEN’s Ocean Week Journey
June 15, 2026
Grounded at home, advocating nationally: Sharing resources at Sidney Ocean’s Day (left) and joining policy conversations in Ottawa (right) for Ocean Week.
Each year, World Ocean’s Day is celebrated on June 8 to celebrate the world’s Oceans, build awareness of the challenges they face and the critical role they play in sustaining life on Earth, and to mobilize change for their protection. In Canada, the celebrations and calls to action surround Ocean Day to form Ocean Week. For our team, this week was a powerful example of how protecting our marine relatives requires action across all scales, from grassroots, local, place-based knowledge and conversation at home, to the broader policy tables in the country.
While our team was on the ground celebrating World Oceans Day in Sidney, BC, our manager, Shelly, was arriving in Ottawa to ground national-level policy in these local realities. Here is a look back at our journey from the shores of the Salish Sea to the doorsteps of the nation’s capital.
Grounded at Home: Sidney Oceans Day
Our week kicked off right here in W̱SÁNEĆ territory at the annual Sidney Oceans Day celebration. Our team had a booth set up where we could engage with folks of all ages to talk all things ocean! Although every week is Ocean Week for our team out on the water, it was a great opportunity to celebrate the Salish Sea, connect with ocean enthusiasts, and share the work we do to bridge modern technology with W̱SÁNEĆ knowledge. We also loved sharing our educational materials, which are now available as downloadable PDFs right on our website!
Translating Knowledge to Policy: "Whales are in our Nature" in Ottawa
From June 8 to 11, QENTOL,YEN joined a national network of advocates in Ottawa for "Whales are in our Nature". Organized by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Georgia Strait Alliance, and Oceans North, this event brought together Indigenous leaders, scientists, NGOs, industry representatives, and policy makers working across Canada’s coasts.
The week kicked off on June 8th with an evening celebration at the Canadian Museum of Nature to honour the ocean together. The night included film screenings and brief panel discussions, featuring “Shared Waters, Shared Crisis”, a documentary highlighting our very own work in protecting the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales (KELŁOLEMEĆEN).
The following days, held right near Parliament Hill, brought together participants to build connections and collaborate on ways to address regional differences and shared threats. Focused on Canada's endangered whales, from our local KELŁOLEMEĆEN, to the St. Lawrence Belugas and North Atlantic Right Whales, these discussions focused on the threats they face from entanglements and acoustic disturbance, and the need for Indigenous-led conservation management. Ultimately, it was a unique space to unite our efforts, and advocate for stronger conservation measures and the need for localized, place-based Indigenous knowledge for meaningful protection for our relatives of the deep and the oceans they call home.
Why It Matters: Scaling Up Local Truths
Bringing local, place-based knowledge to Ottawa is vital as the broad-scale decisions made there directly shape the future of the Salish Sea.
By bringing W̱SÁNEĆ knowledge, Indigenous science, and firsthand knowledge to these national policy spaces, we can ensure that macro-level ocean strategies are held accountable to the actual realities on the water. True marine guardianship means keeping our boots on the ground in Sidney, while ensuring our community's voice echoes clearly at the tables next to Parliament.
HÍSW̱KE to everyone who stopped by our booth in Sidney, and to our incredible partners who invited us to participate in Whale Week and stood with us in Ottawa. Together, we are working to ensure the KELŁOLEMEĆEN and our oceans are protected for generations to come.