Dene Nahjo hosts three-night forum of Yellowknife candidates

Residents who made it out to three nights of all candidates meetings this week hosted by Dene Nahjo, heard much of what was old is new again.

Sunday night featured candidates from Yellowknife North, Tu Nedhe Willideh, and Great Slave. Monday night featured those running in Range Lake, Yellowknife Centre, and Frame Lake. On Tuesday, candidates from Yellowknife South and Kam Lake were featured.

Hosted by Dëneze Nakehk'o, one of Dene Nahjo's founding members, three panels of MLA hopefuls, in preparation for next Tuesday's election, took many questions often centred around lingering issues. These included reviewing the GNWT's affirmative action policy, examples of how Indigenous groups and constituents can be reached and included in policy making, meanings of reconciliation in the GNWT, addressing the climate crisis and many more.

Bill Enge, president of the North Slave Metis Alliance (NSMA), for example, asked MLAs for commitment to a "true sincere and genuine reconciliation" as a legal and distinct aboriginal group needing to be consulted in the territorial government's decision making on two of the three nights.

He noted that this past term, the North Slave Metis won two major court battles against the GNWT – one in the NWT Supreme Court and one in federal court - that asserts their rights under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, particularly under the jurisdiction of harvesting and wildlife on their traditional lands.

Enge said there was a lack of consultation during the 18th assembly with the creation of the Thaidene Nene National Park and the Tlicho all-season road.

“The Government of the Northwest Territories did not come to the North Slave Metis Alliance and include them in the current construction of the Tlicho all season road even though it goes through the heart of the North Slave Metis peoples's traditional lands. But yet the Tlicho are 20 per cent owners in some kind of joint venture that they cobbled together with the general contractor to the total exclusion of the North Slave Metis people," Enge said.

"The North Slave Metis people are also excluded from any kind of benefit from the Thaidene Nene Park that the GNWT just put into place with the passage of a recent bill.”

He also added that the GNWT should be supporting the North Slave Metis people land claim application with the federal government from 2017.

Most candidates responded in declaring their support for better including the North Slave Metis and Enge said he was more "optimistic" from the responses than he had been in the past.

Language 

Shene Catholique-Valpy , a local mother who, for more than five years, has been seeking help get her daughters birth certificates that reflect their traditional names, was also there to seek support on two of the three nights.

"I need your support and help to approach the federal government because I believe our traditional names honoured on the birth certificate is a step in reconciliation which is part of the TRC and I am told the languages act is a right," she said. "Having our traditional names and using them with our children is a right."

Candidates offered their support and in many cases stated that Catholique-Valpy should be able to have her name on the birth certificate as she wishes. Some said that more would need to be done to work with the federal government in ensuring that the NWT Languages Act is reinforced in federal document making policy.

Child welfare 

On all nights, child welfare and the need to retain language and culture for young Indigenous people was raised, particularly by advocates Julie Thrasher and Marie Speakman.

Thrasher asked on Monday night what candidates would do to ensure there is aboriginal representation in the foster care system and that aboriginal children are able to continue retain a connection to their lands, languages, and culture.

"I have seen too many times aboriginal people taken away from their regions and losing land and culture and traditions," she said. "I’m a residential school survivor. My parents were forced out of their tradition and culture. I don't know how to speak my language and I wouldn't know how to cut a fish if you asked me to."

Marie Speakman on Tuesday night raised a similar concern about children in government care who are not exposed to their language and culture. She said when apprehended, Indigenous children are not cared for in a way that keeps in mind the damage done during the history of residential schools.

"One of the issues close to my heart is child welfare and that parents need to be supported and also should be some control over to us (Indigenous people)," Speakman said, suggesting a female aboriginal elders senate within government to oversee child care.

Responses varied on both nights from candidates admitting that the GNWT has to do a better job to needing to share child and welfare responsibilities with Indigenous and regional governments.

Please note: Full responses to questions can be found on the Dene Nahjo Facebook group through its live recorded feed.

Idea behind forum 

Throughout the month-long campaign, candidates have been hearing much about the cost of living and the state of the NWT economy. The forum this week was especially important to draw attention to Indigenous centred issues specifically, because they will impact both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, one way or another, Nahkek’o said. 

“The main reason for the forum is to really talk about the issues from an Indigenous perspective,” Nahkek’o, also a strategic engagement catalyst for Dene Nahjo, said.  

“The demographics in the NWT are about 50 percent Indigenous and 50 percent non-Indigenous,” so it is important that issues are catered to half the population who originate from the area, said Nahkek’o.

Specifically, this involves the changing political landscape of the NWT where the Government of the Northwest Territories, acting an interim government as land claims and self-government agreements are finalized with the federal government.

Some candidates have noted in public forums to date the importance to settling land claim agreements in order to move forward with shared economic development in the North.

Nahkek’o said he realizes that the voter turnout was low the last time around and that there is a push for a greater voter turnout by the GNWT, however, there is not necessarily a strong push to do the same from an Indigenous perspective.

"It is kind of a deep philosophical discussion because we are participating in parliamentary colonial system imposed on all of us," he said.

"So from an Indigenous perspective, the election and the government is not really the official government. The land claims are with Tlicho government and the Tlicho is the government. So there is a real different perspective when it comes to voter turnout."