Latest news with #Tłı̨chǫ
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Weight of traditional knowledge discussed at public hearing for Diavik's water licence
A handful of Indigenous governments want to see more criteria enshrined in the conditions of Diavik diamond mine's new water licence, to determine that water will be safe for cultural uses. The Wek'èezhìi Land and Water Board (WLWB) is holding a public hearing about the company's application for a 10-year water licence renewal, at the cultural centre in Behchokǫ, N.W.T.,̀ this week. The Tłı̨chǫ government, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, the Łutsel K'e Dene First Nation and the Deninu Kųę́ First Nation are all participating in the hearing, along with representatives of the federal and territorial governments and an environmental monitoring board. Violet Camsell-Blondin, who presented Wednesday morning on behalf of the Tłı̨chǫ government, told the hearing that both Western science and Indigenous traditional knowledge should be used to assess the water of Lac de Gras, the tundra lake in which Diavik operates, about 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife. "Cultural use criteria should not have a lower status or less clout in measuring successful closure and influencing the return of security deposits," she said. The WLWB has already required Diavik to incorporate traditional knowledge and cultural use criteria in its plans – but the Tłı̨chǫ, the Łutsel K'e Dene and the Yellowknives Dene want it to have the same weight as scientific monitoring and for it to be tied to the return of security deposits. What are cultural use criteria? An amendment to Diavik's current water licence required that cultural use criteria be developed for dumping processed kimberlite back into the open pits which will eventually, as part of closure, be filled with water and reconnected to Lac de Gras. A letter from the Tłı̨chǫ government to the board during that amendment process a few years ago describes cultural use criteria as the clarity, temperature, colour, smell and taste of the water, as well as whatever unnatural material might be in it. Diavik held workshops with Indigenous partners to establish that criteria and summarized in a report afterwards that healthy water would look clear, feel cold, smell clean, taste fresh and sound alive. "A lot of times science will say the water is good, you could drink it, but they won't drink it," said Patrick Simon, a Deninu Kųę́ First Nation councillor participating in the hearing, adding that scientists also use numbers that are hard to understand to communicate that water is safe. "If I told you, as an Indigenous person, the water is good, you can drink it, I will not only drink it but I'll show you the freshness of the water and the vibrancy, the clarity and even the feeling …. When we're around bad water it don't feel good. When we're around good healthy water, we feel alive, we feel connected. It's part of us." Simon said cultural use criteria will help Indigenous people decide whether they want to drink the water and harvest the animals in and around Lac de Gras once Diavik has closed. 'Flexibility should be maintained,' Diavik says A decision for the WLWB to make, once the hearing is over, is whether traditional knowledge and more cultural use criteria should be enshrined in the conditions of the licence – or whether those will be discussed further as part of the mine's closure plan. Diavik has expressed preference for the latter, stating in its presentation this week that it "strongly recommends that flexibility should be maintained" by discussing cultural use criteria through the final closure and reclamation plan and not establishing "fixed" licence conditions. Diavik is already in the process of creating a traditional knowledge monitoring program with its Indigenous partners that'll be submitted to the land and water board for approval. "Adding licence conditions might restrict the program that's in development. [The program] that really, at the end of the day, communities are developing for us," said Sean Sinclair, Diavik's manager of closure. "Potentially putting that in a box through licence conditions … we don't think it would necessarily be helpful and that it could be more flexibly managed through the closure plan." In a letter to the board ahead of the hearing, Diavik also said that there's uncertainty about how cultural use criteria would be evaluated for regulatory compliance. Diavik is trying to set itself apart from a history of abandoned mines in the N.W.T by closing responsibly. Its existing water licence expires at the end of the year, and it needs another one to wrap up production in March 2026, carry out closure, and start initial post-closure monitoring up until 2035. The hearing wraps up in Behchokǫ̀ on Wednesday.
CBC
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
'Another historical event,' Tłı̨chǫ grand chief says of new female chief in Behchokǫ
Tłı̨chǫ leaders say residents have opted for change after Bertha Rabesca-Zoe was voted to replace longtime chief Clifford Daniels to lead Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T., after Monday's election. Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty and Chief-elect Rabesca-Zoe say it's the first time a woman will lead the community. "I think being the first female chief has a lot of significance for many people, especially our young ladies," Rabesca-Zoe said. "With education and determination and commitment, you can achieve whatever goals you set for yourself." Rabesca-Zoe will become the third female chief out of four Tłı̨chǫ communities, joining Wekweètı̀ Chief Adeline Football and Gamètı̀ Chief Doreen Arrowmaker. Rabesca-Zoe described Behchokǫ̀ as a predominantly Catholic community and said she thinks some still carry the belief that women shouldn't lead but Monday's election shows a push for new direction. "I think people just generally were ready for change," she said. Lafferty also pointed to the fact that many of the new councillors are young, something that he said also signifies the public's want for fresh ideas for the region. Lafferty recognized outgoing Behchokǫ̀ chief Clifford Daniels, who served for 16 years, and outgoing Whatı̀ chief Alfonz Nitsiza. He said he's looking forward to working with all of the new and returning leaders. "It's another historical event," he said. "Things are changing with us." For Rabesca-Zoe, the first order of business will be to meet with council to set priorities. She said she's keen to get to work on tackling the housing and drug crises in her community. She says she's considering a 24-hour blockade to stop the flow of drugs into Behchokǫ̀ and will look forward to hearing other ideas on how best to serve the community.
CBC
09-04-2025
- General
- CBC
Tłı̨chǫ elder and negotiator Ted Blondin remembered for his work negotiating land claims
Well-known Tłı̨chǫ elder and negotiator Ted Blondin has died. Blondin worked on the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, as well as the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement.
CBC
29-01-2025
- CBC
Tłı̨chǫ Government still developing N.W.T.'s Whatı̀ Falls for tourists, no timeline on opening
The Tłı̨chǫ Government in the N.W.T. is moving ahead with a plan to develop the Whatı̀ Falls for tourists but doesn't yet have a timeline on when the public can visit. The falls, approximately 20 kilometres from the community of Whatı̀, N.W.T., are sacred for Tłı̨chǫ people and the Indigenous government is working to balance the benefits of more visitors with preserving the pristine land and water. Nive Sridharan is a project coordinator with the Tłı̨chǫ Government's department of culture and lands protection and is working on the project at the falls. "It's a really beautiful area and so, wanting to make sure that it can be enjoyed by everyone — but also protect and preserve it as much as we can," she said. Sridharan said that with the all-season road that opened in 2021, there are new opportunities for local employment, training, economic development and educating the public on Tłı̨chǫ culture. And at each stage of development they're working closely to consult with the community, she said. Step one, Sridharan said, is setting up infrastructure to ensure safe access to the falls, like fencing and trails. She said the plan is also to build signs to inform visitors of the cultural significance of the site. Mike Nitsiza is an elder in Whatı̀. He says the falls, called Nailii in Tłı̨chǫ, is somewhere residents go to cleanse themselves and to pray. "I go there as often as I can," he said. Nitsiza said he wants to share the sacred site and would even consider working there himself, as a guide. "All my experience, knowledge — traditional and culture and spirituality — I want to pass it on," he said. He says it's essential that the falls be kept pristine. "As soon as it's been disrespected to the people, they'll probably close the area." Sridharan said the area is currently under construction and closed to everyone. She said there's no timeline at this point for when it will open. She said they're focused first on developing the day-use area, then they'll see about moving ahead with developing a campground.
