Legal Innovations Case Study: Thaidene Nëné
On November 19th, 2020, the Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership, IISAAK OLAM Foundation, and West Coast Environmental Law co-hosted the third webinar in the Legal Innovations stream. Monica Shore, Executive Director with IISAAK OLAM Foundation moderated the dialogue with Steven Nitah (Senior Advisor, Indigenous Leadership Initiative, and CRP Leadership Circle), Stephen Ellis (Senior Advisor, Thaidene Nëné), and Larry Innes (CRP Domestic Law and Policy Stream Lead).
The speakers, who were part of the Thaidene Nëné negotiations team, described the foundational Dene laws which were used to establish and protect Thaidene Nëné. Meaning “Land of the Ancestors”, Thaidene Nëné is an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) in the Northwest Territories on the east shore of Great Slave Lake. It was conceived of and led by the Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation who have been caring for the area since time immemorial.
Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation used three laws to establish Thaidene Nëné as an IPCA:
Ts’ąkuı Theda,which refers to “The Old Lady that Sits in the Falls”. This law reminds Lutsel K’e of their ongoing responsibility to ensure all of their relations have a healthy environment.
Leadership provided by the Elders and community to establish Thaidene Nëné.
A community vote in favour of establishing the area as an IPCA.
Thaidene Nëné is also designated as a territorial protected area under the NWT Protected Areas Act and as a National Park Reserve under the National Parks Act and associated regulations. The speakers discussed the unique co-governance board that speaks for Thaidene Nëné, the innovative trust fund (Thaidene Nëné Fund), the Establishment Agreements, relationships and partnerships, Guardians (Ni Hat’ni Dene), and the history that led to Thaidene Nëné’s establishment, including the Treaty of 1900 and mining pressures.
Watch the full recording below. Visit our YouTube channel for more videos.
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