The file contains opening remarks from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at Inuvik, Northwest Territories on May 5, 1992. Following an opening prayer by Tom Wright, Commissioner Rene Dussault discusses the mandate, goals, and composition of the Commission. Chief James Firth also welcomes the Commission to Inuvik.
File contains a presentation by Chief Bill Erasmus of the Dene Nation. Erasmus welcomes the Commission to Denedeh, the Dene homeland, and discusses "the policy that the government has adopted over the years regarding discussions with our peoples in Canada concerining the spelling out of our rights and the requirement for extinguishment," as well as the traditional Dene economy of hunting and trapping. Following the presentation the assembled Commissioners discuss some of the issues raised with Erasmus.
File contains a presentation by Chief James Ross of the Gwich'in people. Chief Ross delivers some remarks on the Gwich'in Final Agreement (a land claim) and introduces Diane Petersen and George Nurysoo who will present after him.
The file contains a presentation Chief Bernadette Unka of the Deninu Kue First Nation. Chief Unka discusses the history of her people who reside at Fort Resolution, NWT. Chief Unka discusses how Treaty, Metis, and Euro-Canadian people were at one time united in one government at the community, but how her people re-established band governance in 1990 due to their Treaty rights being slowly eroded.
The file contains a presentation by Irvin Norn of the Deninu Kue First Nation. Norn, the Band Administrator, discusses the historical background, the concerns, and the day-to-day issues that his band experiences with respect to membership. Norn discusses Treaty Eight, social services, education, justice, housing, health, renewable and non-renewable resources, and taxation. Following the presentation Commissioners Georges Erasmus and Paul Chartrand discuss some of the issues raised with Norn.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Peter Ross
Description
File contains a presentation by James Cardinal on behalf of Chief Peter Ross of the Arctic Red River community of the Gwich'in people (in the Mackenzie River Delta). Cardinal's presentation disucsses alcohol problems, land claims, band issues, education, and a host of other issues. Following the presentation is a conversation between the presenter and the Commissioners (mainly Allan Blakeney) regarding some of the issues raised, notably the effectiveness of alcohol prohibition in Gwich'in territory.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Jim Antoine
Description
File contains a presentation by Chief Jim Antoine, Member of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly for Nahende. He gives a brief introduction to Treaty 11 relating to his constituency and to the future formation of Nunavut. Antoine discusses what land claims and self-government would mean to the Northwest Territories, focusing on the extinguishment clause. Following the presentation is a discussion with the Commissioners.
Journal of Enterprising Communities, vol. 3, no. 1, 2009, pp. 94-117
Description
Discusses long-term environmental and social impacts of building a pipeline in a region where people believe that they have an obligation to the land upon which they live.
Author analyzes ways in which settler colonialism manifests and can be explored through actions, self-reflection and relationships; discusses the process of self-decolonization and its implications for relationship-building between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.