ICETON-DISSERTATION-2019.Pdf (4.743Mb)

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

ICETON-DISSERTATION-2019.Pdf (4.743Mb) DEFINING SPACE: HOW HISTORY SHAPED AND INFORMED NOTIONS OF KASKA LAND USE AND OCCUPANCY A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements For the Degree of PhD In the Department of History University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon By GLENN WILLIAM ICETON © Copyright Glenn William Iceton, June, 2019. All rights reserved. PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this dissertation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Postgraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the Libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this dissertation in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my dissertation work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis/dissertation or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my dissertation. Requests for permission to copy or make other uses of materials in this dissertation in whole or part should be addressed to: Head of the Department of History Arts Building, 9 Campus Dr University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5 Canada OR Dean College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies University of Saskatchewan 116 Thorvaldson Building, 110 Science Place Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9 Canada i ABSTRACT Beginning in the 1970s, as the federal government began to negotiate comprehensive land claims based on extant Aboriginal title, historical understandings of Indigenous land use and occupancy gained new significance as a means of demonstrating title. As Indigenous groups – such as the Kaska Dena – tried to demonstrate their Aboriginal title, they grappled with the legacy of colonial perspectives of their land use and occupancy. These colonial perspectives had the complex and sometimes contradictory effects of supporting their claims, while simultaneously circumscribing them within a Eurocentric framework. Historical renderings of Kaska Dena land use occurred within specific historical and environmental contexts. Moreover, outsider representations of Kaska Dena land use were shaped by the particular interests of the outsider or colonial observer – be it the interests of pursuing fur trade or bringing Indigenous peoples under state administration. This dissertation examines the historical unfolding of colonial knowledge relating to Kaska Dena land use and occupancy, beginning with contact and extending to the 1970s, when the federal government agreed to negotiate outstanding Indigenous land claims. The dissertation then focuses on how these past understandings of Kaska Dena land use influenced their abilities to advance their territorial rights within the context of comprehensive land claim negotiations and the emerging regime of environmental impact assessments. This analysis also considers how the Kaska Dena mobilized community-based knowledge to sometimes support and sometimes counter colonial representations of Kaska Dena land use. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation could not have been completed without the support and assistance of a great deal of people. First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Bill Waiser, for his feedback on this project’s many drafts. His comments have helped me refine my arguments and strengthen my writing style. I am also indebted to my committee members – Dr. Keith Carlson, Dr. Jim Clifford, Dr. Ken Coates – for their support through my years in the PhD program. Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Liza Piper for her insightful comments on the final draft of this dissertation. Beyond my dissertation committee, I would like to thank my graduate school colleagues who provided me with intellectual support as well as much needed levity, when necessary. Students at University of Calgary (where I completed my Master’s) and at University of Saskatchewan whose support and friendship has been indispensable are: Michelle Desveaux, Dr. Jessica DeWitt, Anne Janhunen, Laura Larson, Colin Osmond, Dr. Will Pratt, Dr. Dustin McNichol, Dr. Shannon Murray, Dr. Frances Reilly, Dr. Michael Savage, Dr. Matt Todd, and Dr. Cheryl Troupe. This project was greatly assisted by the helpful archival staff of the various institutions I visited. I would like to thank Lesley Buchan, Donna Darbyshire, Jennifer Roberts, Shannon Olson, and Wendy Sokolon from the Yukon Archives for their help navigating the collections and locating sources. I would also like to express my gratitude to Johnathan Wise and Benoit Thériault for pointing me towards valuable ethnographic materials held at the Canadian Museum of History Archives. Finally, I would like to thank Raymond Frogner for his assistance at the British Columbia Archives. iii The consumption of coffee was essential to the completion of this dissertation. To this end, I would like to thank City Perks for their high octane americanos and for allowing me to occupy a table for hours on end as I wrote this dissertation. My family was a tremendous support during all stages of the PhD program. This network of family support grew during my years in the program! I would like to thank my parents, Mark and Elaine Iceton, for their support as I completed my dissertation, and for not asking (too often) when it would be done. I would also like to thank in-laws Crystal and Calvin Brannon and Don Spinney for their support. I would also like to acknowledge the feline members of my family, Boris, Horatio, and Wilber. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Dr. Erin Spinney, for both her love and support as I went through the highs and lows of PhD life. Having already experienced the trials of edits, rewrites, and the defense, Erin has helped guide me through some of the more challenging moments of the dissertation. I couldn’t imagine this dissertation coming to light without her! iv DEDICATION To Boris and Wilber. Your antics have made life a lot more exciting! v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PERMISSION TO USE …………………………………………………………………….. i ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………………… ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………………………… iii DEDICATION ………………………………………………………………………………. v TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………………………… vi LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………………………. vii INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………… 1 CHAPTER ONE: “He Had Seen a Smoak at No Great Distance”: Fur Trade Exploration Narratives and Conceptions of Kaska Land Use ……………………………………………. 50 CHAPTER TWO: “Not a Word of Indians”: The View from the Trading Post and Perceptions of the Kaska …………………………………………………………………………………….100 CHAPTER THREE: “It was commencing to get wintery”: Ethnographic Fieldwork, Transportation, and Seasonality in the Yukon-BC Borderlands ……………………………. 125 CHAPTER FOUR: “In Time It Could Be Made to Grow Crops”: Narrative Understandings of Kask Land Use during the Early 20th Century ……………………………………………… 163 CHAPTER FIVE: “Many Families of Unseen Indians”: Trapline Registration and Understandings of Kaska Land Use in the BC-Yukon Borderlands………………………….196 CHAPTER SIX: “Change Cannot be Stopped but, It Can be Controlled”: Aboriginal Title, Environmental Justice, and Historical Narratives …………………………………………… 245 CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………………………… 295 BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………………………………………….303 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Number Page 0-2 Map of Study Area……………………………………………………………………… 9 0-2 Territories Claimed Under the Umbrella Final Agreement……………………………. 10 0-3 Kaska Dena Land Claims in British Columbia……………………………………….....11 0-4 Kaska Dena Council Traditional Territory………………………………………………12 1-1 Map from John McLeod’s 1831 Expedition……………………………………………. 93 1-2 Indian Chart …………………………………………………………………………… 97 3-1 George Dawson Map of Upper Liard Watershed …………………………………… 139 3-2 George Dawson Map of Upper Liard Watershed (closeup view) …………………… 140 4-1 James Teit Map Delineating Kaska and Tahltan Traditional Territories ……………... 193 5-1 Sketch Map of Trapline ………………………………………………………………. 208 5-2 Map identifying names and locations of bands within the Stikine Indian Agency…… 213 5-3 Map of BC-Yukon Border …………………………………………………………... 223 5-4 Map of Yukon-BC-NWT Borderlands ………………………………………………. 230 5-5 St. Pierre Nande Trapline Sketch Map ……………………………………………….. 235 5-6 Map of South Nahanni Traplines, 1951 …………………………………………….. 237 5-7 Map of Pelly River Traplines, 1963-1972 …………………………………………… 241 6-1 Kaska Dena Council Traditional Boundaries in British Columbia……………………. 256 6-2 John Honigmann’s “Map of Cassiar and Its People” ………………………………..... 257 vii INTRODUCTION Beginning in the 1970s the federal government agreed to negotiate comprehensive land claim agreements with the Indigenous peoples of Canada who had not signed previous treaties. With this change in the federal government’s policies, the Kaska Dena found themselves reliant on colonial knowledge in order to prove their Aboriginal title. Colonial records were cited in research reports which were used to demonstrate Kaska Dena land claims. Moreover, in order to demonstrate their Aboriginal title, the Kaska Dena faced a legal double-standard. Their abilities to demonstrate their title to the land in the eyes of the Canadian legal system was contingent on presenting detailed documentary evidence
Recommended publications
  • First Nations & Transboundary Claimants
    How to Contact Yukon First Nations & Transboundary Claimants Carcross/Tagish First Nation Kaska Ta’an Kwäch’än Council Box 130 Liard First Nation 117 Industrial Road Carcross, YT Y0B 1B0 Box 328 Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2T8 Location: Turn off Klondike Hwy at Watson Lake, YT Y0A 1C0 Tel (867) 668-3613 south end of bridge Location: On Campbell Hwy, across Fax (867) 667-4295 Tel (867) 821-4251 from high school/Yukon College Tel (867) 821-8216 – Lands Admin. Tel (867) 536-5200 – Administration Teslin Tlingit Council Fax (867) 821-4802 Tel (867) 536-2912 – Land Claims Fax (867) 536-2109 Box 133 Teslin, YT Y0A 1B0 Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Ross River Dena Council Location: On southwest side of General Delivery Alaska Highway Box 5309 Ross River, YT Y0B 1S0 Tel (867) 390-2532 – Administration Haines Junction, YT Y0B 1L0 Location: Near Dena General Store Tel (867) 390-2005 – Lands Location: Turn off Alaska Hwy, Tel (867) 969-2278 – Administration Fax (867) 390-2204 across from FasGas, follow signs Tel (867) 969-2832 – Economic Tel (867) 634-2288 – Administration Development Fax (867) 969-2405 Tetlit Gwich’in Council Tel (867) 634-4211 – Ren. Res. Mgr. Fax (867) 634-2108 Box 30 Little Salmon/Carmacks Fort MacPherson, NWT X0E 0J0 In Whitehorse: First Nation Location: On Tetlit Gwichin Road #100 – 304 Jarvis Street Tel (867) 952-2330 Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2H2 Box 135 Fax (867) 952-2212 Tel (867) 668-3627 Carmacks, YT Y0B 1C0 Fax (867) 667-6202 Location: Turn west off Klondike Hwy at north end of bridge to admin bldg Tr’ondëk Hwëch'in Inuvialuit Regional Corp.
    [Show full text]
  • The Carcross/Tagish First Nation Final Agreement
    THE CARCROSS/TAGISH FIRST NATION FINAL AGREEMENT among THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, THE CARCROSS/TAGISH FIRST NATION and THE GOVERNMENT OF THE YUKON Published under the authority of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Ottawa, 2005 www.ainc-inac.gc.ca 1-800-567-9604 TTY only 1-866-553-0554 QS-5384-000-EE-A1 Catalogue: R2-427/1-2005E-PDF ISBN:0-662-42156-6 © Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada Cette publication peut aussi être obtenue en français sous le titre: Entente définitive de la Première nation des Carcross/Tagish The preceding Elders' Statement does not form part of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation Final Agreement. AGREEMENT made this 22nd day of October, 2005. AMONG: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (hereinafter referred to as "Canada"); AND The Carcross/Tagish First Nation as represented by the Khà Shâde Héni of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation (hereinafter referred to as the "Carcross/Tagish First Nation"); AND The Government of the Yukon as represented by the Government Leader of the Yukon on behalf of the Yukon (hereinafter referred to as the "Yukon"), being the parties to this Carcross/Tagish First Nation Final Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "this Agreement"). WHEREAS: the Carcross/Tagish First Nation asserts aboriginal rights, titles and interests with respect to its Traditional Territory; the Carcross/Tagish First Nation wishes to retain, subject to this Agreement, the aboriginal rights, titles and
    [Show full text]
  • Linguapax Review 2010 Linguapax Review 2010
    LINGUAPAX REVIEW 2010 MATERIALS / 6 / MATERIALS Col·lecció Materials, 6 Linguapax Review 2010 Linguapax Review 2010 Col·lecció Materials, 6 Primera edició: febrer de 2011 Editat per: Amb el suport de : Coordinació editorial: Josep Cru i Lachman Khubchandani Traduccions a l’anglès: Kari Friedenson i Victoria Pounce Revisió dels textos originals en anglès: Kari Friedenson Revisió dels textos originals en francès: Alain Hidoine Disseny i maquetació: Monflorit Eddicions i Assessoraments, sl. ISBN: 978-84-15057-12-3 Els continguts d’aquesta publicació estan subjectes a una llicència de Reconeixe- ment-No comercial-Compartir 2.5 de Creative Commons. Se’n permet còpia, dis- tribució i comunicació pública sense ús comercial, sempre que se’n citi l’autoria i la distribució de les possibles obres derivades es faci amb una llicència igual a la que regula l’obra original. La llicència completa es pot consultar a: «http://creativecom- mons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/es/deed.ca» LINGUAPAX REVIEW 2010 Centre UNESCO de Catalunya Barcelona, 2011 4 CONTENTS PRESENTATION Miquel Àngel Essomba 6 FOREWORD Josep Cru 8 1. THE HISTORY OF LINGUAPAX 1.1 Materials for a history of Linguapax 11 Fèlix Martí 1.2 The beginnings of Linguapax 14 Miquel Siguan 1.3 Les débuts du projet Linguapax et sa mise en place 17 au siège de l’UNESCO Joseph Poth 1.4 FIPLV and Linguapax: A Quasi-autobiographical 23 Account Denis Cunningham 1.5 Defending linguistic and cultural diversity 36 1.5 La defensa de la diversitat lingüística i cultural Fèlix Martí 2. GLIMPSES INTO THE WORLD’S LANGUAGES TODAY 2.1 Living together in a multilingual world.
    [Show full text]
  • TREATY 8: a British Columbian Anomaly
    TREATY 8: A British Columbian Anomaly ARTHUR J. RAY N THE ANNALS OF NATIVE BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1999 undoubtedly will be remembered as the year when, in a swirl of controversy, Ithe provincial legislature passed the Nisga'a Agreement. The media promptly heralded the agreement as the province's first modern Indian treaty. Unmentioned, because it has been largely forgotten, was the fact that the last major "pre-modern" agreement affecting British Columbia -Treaty 8 - had been signed 100 years earlier. This treaty encompasses a sprawling 160,900-square-kilometre area of northeastern British Columbia (Map 1), which is a territory that is nearly twenty times larger than that covered by the Nisga'a Agreement. In addition, Treaty 8 includes the adjoining portions of Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Treaty 8 was negotiated at a time when British Columbia vehemently denied the existence of Aboriginal title or self-governing rights. It therefore raises two central questions. First, why, in 1899, was it ne­ cessary to bring northeastern British Columbia under treaty? Second, given the contemporary Indian policies of the provincial government, how was it possible to do so? The latter question raises two other related issues, both of which resurfaced during negotiations for the modern Nisga'a Agreement. The first concerned how the two levels of government would share the costs of making a treaty. (I will show that attempts to avoid straining federal-provincial relations over this issue in 1899 created troublesome ambiguities in Treaty 8.) The second concerned how much BC territory had to be included within the treaty area.
    [Show full text]
  • 20. Aboriginal Rights and Interests Effects
    20. ASSESSMENT OF ABORIGINAL AND TREATY RIGHTS AND RELATED INTERESTS 20.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter assesses potential adverse effects on Aboriginal and Treaty rights and related interests which may arise from the Project during construction, operations, decommissioning/reclamation, and post-closure. Underground mining activities have the potential to adversely affect Aboriginal and Treaty rights by interfering with Aboriginal groups’ ability to engage in practices, customs, and traditions that are integral to their distinctive cultures, and/or by interfering with the exercise of rights expressly recognized in a treaty. Interference with Aboriginal and Treaty rights is generally indirect, resulting from changes to environmental conditions that are necessary for the continued exercise of Aboriginal and Treaty rights. The assessment is based on information derived from the Proponent’s engagement with potentially- affected Aboriginal groups, environmental assessments carried out elsewhere in the Application/EIS, and the review of secondary data. Wherever possible, the assessment addresses potential effects on Aboriginal and treaty rights and related interests as understood from the perspective of the Aboriginal groups in question. Baseline reports informing this assessment are appended to the Application/EIS and include: Ethnographic Overview and Traditional Knowledge and Use Desk-Based Research Report (Appendix 17-A) and Saulteau First Nations Knowledge and Use Study for HD Mining Murray River Coal Project (Appendix 17-B). 20.2 REGULATORY AND POLICY FRAMEWORK The Crown has a legal duty to consult with and, where appropriate, accommodate Aboriginal interests when it contemplates a conduct that might adversely impact the potential or established Aboriginal or Treaty right. The Crown delegated procedural aspects of this duty, with respect to the Project, to the Proponent through the Section 11 Order and EIS Guidelines.
    [Show full text]
  • Chamber Meeting Day 10
    Yukon Legislative Assembly Number 10 1st Session 35th Legislature HANSARD Thursday, May 27, 2021 — 1:00 p.m. SPECIAL SITTING Speaker: The Honourable Jeremy Harper YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2021 Special Sitting SPEAKER — Hon. Jeremy Harper, MLA, Mayo-Tatchun DEPUTY SPEAKER and CHAIR OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE — Annie Blake, MLA, Vuntut Gwitchin DEPUTY CHAIR OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE — Emily Tredger, MLA, Whitehorse Centre CABINET MINISTERS NAME CONSTITUENCY PORTFOLIO Hon. Sandy Silver Klondike Premier Minister of the Executive Council Office; Finance Hon. Tracy-Anne McPhee Riverdale South Deputy Premier Government House Leader Minister of Health and Social Services; Justice Hon. Nils Clarke Riverdale North Minister of Highways and Public Works; Environment Hon. John Streicker Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources; Public Service Commission; Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Energy Corporation; French Language Services Directorate Hon. Ranj Pillai Porter Creek South Minister of Economic Development; Tourism and Culture; Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation; Yukon Liquor Corporation and the Yukon Lottery Commission Hon. Richard Mostyn Whitehorse West Minister of Community Services; Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board Hon. Jeanie McLean Mountainview Minister of Education; Minister responsible for the Women’s Directorate OFFICIAL OPPOSITION Yukon Party Currie Dixon Leader of the Official Opposition Scott Kent Official
    [Show full text]
  • CAMPS on the LAND Considerations and Opportunities
    CAMPS ON THE LAND Considerations and Opportunities in the Yukon and northern British Columbia September 2006 Donald Reid Wildlife Conservation Society Canada Whitehorse Wildlife Conservation Society Canada Camps on the Land 1 SUMMARY Camps on the land are a strong force for community development, bringing youth and elders together in a non-urban environment where traditional knowledge and skills can be passed on among generations through direct experience. This report summarizes the key considerations in developing camps on the land, based on the experiences of First Nations in the Yukon and northern British Columbia. These include the sharing of a vision, the development and realization of an organization, guidelines for participation, and thoughts on productive sites and timing. Finally, the document summarizes key governmental and non-governmental resources that First Nations can use to develop and fund camps on the land. INTRODUCTION For cultures evolved in an intimacy with land and nature, continued experience of the land is necessary for cultural integrity and meaning. First Nations cultures in Canada evolved in such an intimacy, but various forces have dislocated people from the land in the last century or so. Attachment to the land has not been lost from collective experience nor will. The desire to foster traditional cultural meaning through intimacy with and understanding of nature still persists. This short document outlines some examples of how that desire has been realized by First Nations in the Yukon and northern British Columbia, through the organization of “camps on the land”. Examples include: Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Fish and First Hunt camps, Vuntut Gwichin summer hunting and fishing camps, Champagne-Aishihik Culture and Science Camps, Kaska Dena Youth Environment Camp (see Figure 1 for Traditional Territories).
    [Show full text]
  • Indigenous Water Governance, Ontologies, and the Politics Of
    Article Nature and Space Environment and Planning E: Nature and Respecting water: Space 0(0) 1–23 ! The Author(s) 2018 Indigenous water Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav governance, ontologies, DOI: 10.1177/2514848618789378 and the politics of kinship journals.sagepub.com/home/ene on the ground Nicole J Wilson University of British Columbia, Canada Jody Inkster University of Alberta/Yukon College, Canada Abstract Indigenous peoples often view water as a living entity or a relative, to which they have a sacred responsibility. Such a perspective frequently conflicts with settler societies’ view of water as a ‘‘resource’’ that can be owned, managed, and exploited. Although rarely articulated explicitly, water conflicts are rooted in ontological differences between Indigenous and settler views of water. Furthermore, the unequal water governance landscape created by settler colonialism has perpetuated the suppression of Indigenous ways of conceptualizing water. This paper thus examines the ‘‘political ontology’’ of water by drawing on insights from the fields of critical Indigenous studies, post-humanism, and water governance. Additionally, we engage a case study of four Yukon First Nations (Carcross/Tagish, Kluane, Tr’onde¨kHwe¨ch’in, and White River First Nations) in the Canadian North to examine their water ontologies through the lens of a politics of kinship including ideas about ‘‘respecting water.’’ We also examine the assumptions of settler- colonial water governance in the territory, shaped by modern land claims and self-government agreements. We close by discussing the implications of Indigenous water ontologies for alternate modes of governing water. Keywords Indigenous law, indigenous water governance, ontological politics, Yukon First Nations, Yukon, Canada Introduction We respect not only the water we utilize, we respect the land around it because it feeds into the water.
    [Show full text]
  • 3Nation-BC Collaborative Stewardship Forum: Phase 2 Final Report On
    3Nation-BC Collaborative Stewardship Forum: Phase 2 Final Report on Collaborative Governance Review and Research Jodi Gustafson & Kimberly Heinemeyer Round River Conservation Studies 9/28/20 Final Report September 2020, Prepared for The 3 Nations - British Columbia Collaborative Stewardship Forum 3Nation-BC CSF Co-Governance Phase 2 Final Report Round River Conservation Studies CONTENTS Report Summary .................................................................................................................................... iv Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. v Constructive Relationships: ............................................................................................................ v Identifying Shared Values: .............................................................................................................. v Information used in decision-making processes............................................................................ vi A regional framework and shared decision-making ...................................................................... vi Define and implement short term “pilot” projects ....................................................................... vi Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Tlįkw Tākw Dčslģn Łingķt Council Dąt Nīk 2011/12
    Tlákw tâkw Dèslìn Łingít Council dàt nîk 2011/12 The Teslin Tlingit Council Annual Report 2011/12 yourvoiceyourgovernmentourfuture Teslin Tlingit Council Mission Statement The Teslin Tlingit Council is mandated to cooperatively continue to preserve and develop the social, economic, political and cultural well being of the Teslin Tlingit First Nation, to maintain our pride and independence based on trust and respect, and to conserve the wildlife habitat and traditional territory for the well being of our future generations Àxh shtughâ hà ditî yá hà gamáni Tlagû yexh áwé hà łatin yá hà tl’átgi káx’ Yèsu áwé yìysitîn hà yêjinêyi kha mâ sá yè tuwa.û kha mâ sá tułatin wé hà tl’átgi kha hà sha gûn yourvoiceyourgovernmentourfuture TTC Annual Report 2011/12 The Chief 02 eXeCuTIVE DIReCToR 05 heRitage 07 implementation 13 Lands & Resources 18 woRkforce development 24 CApital & infrastructuRe 27 heAlTh & soCiAl 29 finAnCe 31 1 yourvoiceyourgovernmentourfuture transparency and accountability achieved through the All Citizen’s Executive Meetings, frequent public consultations and focused meetings driven by specific Citizen defined needs. These forums have delivered healthy public debate, improved transparency, and often resulted in direct Citizen led change. It is imperative for the government to uphold these opportunities, Message CHIeF from the continuing to engage both - with Peter Johnston Teslin and Whitehorse Citizens alike. There have been occasions when Citizen The follow pages include annual reports from each attendance has been low, but those that do come of TTC’s Department’s on their activities over the are able to influence decisions that will impact their last fiscal year from April 1st, 2011 to March 31st, lives and we encourage continued and growing 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Yukon First Nations Heritage Values and Resource Management: Perspectives from Four Yukon First Nations
    Yukon First Nations Heritage Values and Resource Management: Perspectives from Four Yukon First Nations IPINCH Case Study Report by Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Ta’an Kwach’an Council, and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in in collaboration with Sheila Greer (Consultant to Champagne and Aishihik First Nations) and Catherine Bell (University of Alberta, Faculty of Law) January 2016 IPinCH ‐ Yukon First Nations Heritage Values and Resource Management Report – March 2016 Attribution and Copyright Notice CCM Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs CC‐BY ‐NC‐ND www.sfu.ca/IPinCH This research was made possible, in part, through the support of the Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage (IPinCH) project, a Major Collaborative Research Initiative funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. IPinCH explores the rights, values, and responsibilities associated with material culture, cultural knowledge and the practice of heritage research. Other project funders included: Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Carcross‐Tagish First Nation, Ta’an Kwach’an Council, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, and Sheila C. Greer Consulting. Report To Be Cited As: Carcross‐Tagish First Nation, Champagne & Aishihik First Nations, Ta’an Kwach’an Council, Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation, Sheila Greer, and Catherine Bell (2015), Yukon First Nations Heritage Values and Resource Management: Perspectives from Four Yukon First Nations. ii IPinCH ‐ Yukon First Nations Heritage Values and Resource Management Report – March 2016 SOME OF OUR WORDS Anything and everything you do, the way you live is your heritage. I walk it, that’s who I am. Angie Joseph‐Rear, TH Session, August 4, 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Supreme Court Rules Against Kaska Dena Council As Rights and Title Holder
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 7, 2019 Supreme Court Rules Against Kaska Dena Council as Rights and Title Holder WATSON LAKE – The Supreme Court of Yukon filed a decision earlier this week ruling against all claims brought forth by the Kaska Dena Council (KDC) in their motion seeking a formal declaration as a holder of Kaska Aboriginal rights and title in its dealings with the Government of Yukon. Liard First Nation was named in the case as a Defendant to oppose the KDC application to the court, on the grounds that KDC had no authority as it is not a rights-bearing group or authorized to bring this action. The ruling confirmed that Kaska Dena Council is not a rights-bearing group, nor an authorized representative of a rights-bearing group. The Court ruled that KDC cannot assert aboriginal rights or title on behalf of some members of the Kaska Nation. The court has made clear findings of fact that the Kaska Nation rights-holders are Liard First Nation, Ross River Dena Council, Dease River First Nation, and Kwadacha Nation. When Crown decisions are being made that could impact Kaska aboriginal rights and title - those are the governments whose concerns must be addressed. This decision sends a clear message that other governments and proponents must work with Liard First Nation to ensure that Kaska aboriginal rights remain meaningful when development and business opportunities are proposed in Kaska traditional territory. The decision outlines six separate issues around Kaska Dena Council’s assertions that were overturned in their entirety by the ruling. Quote: “This decision makes clear who governments and industry must consult and engage with on matters relevant to Kaska aboriginal rights and title,” said Liard First Nation Chief George Morgan.
    [Show full text]