Evidence of meeting #25 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was nene.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Are we done? May I just ask what the value was?
Can you say what the negotiated value was to reach that agreement?
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
The value is that we would work together, nation to nation, as equals. We would be partners in the management and operations of Thaidene Nene.
Liberal
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Do you have a price on it, the cost?
Sorry, I'm out of time.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
You referred to co-management. Could you explain, now that you have gotten into the co-management process, how it's working?
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
We don't have a protected area. It's in the proposal stage.
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
One of the unique features that we've introduced into the equation is that we've raised $15 million and we're asking Canada to match that. With that, we'll create a $30 million trust, which the first nations will use as a resource to pay for their own staff and the governance of Thaidene Nene, so that we can work as equals with Parks Canada and the Government of Northwest Territories to operate and manage the Thaidene Nene national park reserve together. We'll have our own staff working alongside Parks Canada staff.
Conservative
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
It's a process. We're still in negotiations. I can tell the committee that the negotiation table has reached a table agreement on the establishment agreement. Canada and the Government of Northwest Territories still have to negotiate a land transfer agreement from Northwest Territories to Canada, so that Thaidene Nene can be designated as a national park reserve area. Canada still needs to come to the table with $15 million so that the trust fund can be created.
I can also say that we're on track, as far as I know, based on our discussions with both levels of government.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
I know it is like gazing into a crystal ball, but how long do you think this is going to take?
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
We all want to celebrate the creation of Thaidene Nene by July of this coming year.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Do you see any barriers that we, as a committee, might explore to facilitate that?
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
Keep Parks Canada and Canada on track, commit to the $15 million, and make sure that the Government of Northwest Territories follows suit.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Those are good answers.
You talked about managing the resources. Do you have any examples of resource management that you could suggest to us that might be something...? You talked about Canadians experiencing the culture. You talked about some ways...and one of the challenges is your location. How do you see managing that or getting to that piece?
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
The land has always been there. The land pretty much takes—
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
But we're not. The majority of the population is along the 49th parallel.
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
Those who visit the Thaidene Nene will be managed. We don't manage the land; we manage the people who have activities on those lands.
Conservative
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
You have something cultural. You have that piece. You have the land. How can you develop that piece for more people in Canada to access it and for you to manage them there? Have you any thoughts about that?
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
A good idea always finds wings. We think that Thaidene Nene is a good idea, and we think that the guardianship program is a good idea.
I'll give you an example. Right now we have our Ni Hat’ni Dene program, our guardians program. We've been running it for 10 years. We've been working with the Government of the Northwest Territories collecting baseline information and measuring against that baseline information.
We have negotiated impact benefit agreements with the mining companies where we have put our Ni Hat'ni staff to work monitoring the mining activities, the environment, and the downstream effects, by taking baseline information and measuring against that baseline information. We work with the mining industry, so when I talk about the guardians program and indigenous protected areas, I'm not just talking specifically about managing these parks. Guardian programs were introduced right across the country in indigenous communities. Those will be their eyes and ears on the ground. Those will be the relationships they create with the extractive industries within their territories, not just in the management of protected areas.
Conservative
Lead Negotiator of Thaidene Nene, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation
We've studied the tourism aspect of it. We've hired the people who do this for a living. We know that aboriginal tourism globally is a $2 billion-a-year industry and growing. You just have to look at the Klemtu and Bella Bella on the central coast of B.C. I believe you guys have been there. They have a very high rate of employment and low dysfunction. Bella Bella hasn't had a suicide in the last 15 to 20 years because of back-to-the-land programs. This is what we're talking about.
