 In August 2019, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation signed establishment agreements with the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories to designate parts of the Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area a national park reserve, territorial protected area, and wildlife conservation area. These agreements were historic, the first of their kind in the country. The governance of the Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area has been equally ground-breaking. Indigenous and Crown governments are working together to ensure that the ecological integrity of Thaıdene Nëné and the Dënesųłıné way of life are protected forever. This past August, we celebrated the fifth anniversary of the signing of those agreements. The Thaıdene Nëné Department organized a full weekend of activities in Łutsël K’é, including feasts, drum dances, a handgames tournament, and a fishing derby, for community members, partners, and visitors. The weekend also included an afternoon of updates from each of the partners on accomplishments, challenges, and next steps for the Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area. Chief James Marlowe opened the community update by sharing the words of the late Pierre Catholique, who was chief of Łutsël K’é when Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau first expressed an interest in a national park on the East Arm of Great Slave Lake. Pierre Catholique and others in the community were wary of a park because of what had happened to Indigenous peoples in places like Wood Buffalo and Jasper. He knew how hard it would be to make something that respected the rights and traditions of Łutsël K’é Dene when the government had complete control. But he didn’t think it was impossible. “You work it, you make it,” he famously said. More than five decades later, Chief Marlowe was able to declare, “We worked it and we made it.” In this post, we summarize those presentations for community members and the public. Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation UpdateThe Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation’s update was delivered by Thaıdene Nëné manager, Iris Catholique. The last five years have been filled with challenges, including a global pandemic and unprecedented forest fire activity. In spite of these obstacles, the Thaıdene Nëné Department has thrived since establishment. Staffing Since taking over as manager in 2020, Iris has built the Thaıdene Nëné Department from the ground up, hiring and managing staffing and overseeing operations, including program delivery. The department currently has six full-time staff with some vacant positions waiting to be filled, as well as a two part-time support staff. The department also regularly hires community members on contracts to support regular operations, program delivery, and special events. Ni Hat'ni Dene The transformation of Ni Hat’ni Dene from a seasonal initiative to a full-time, year-round program has been a highlight of the department’s activities over the last five years. Guardians are carrying out the important work of being the community’s eyes and ears in Thaıdene Nëné, through regular patrols in summer and winter. They also welcome visitors to the protected area, undertake environmental monitoring activities, deliver on the land programs for community members, and keep Elders and other community members in need supplied with meat and fish.  Infrastructure Ni Hat’ni Dene and local contractors have been working to improve infrastructure throughout Thaıdene Nëné. The department has renovated or constructed cabins at Ɂedacho Tłaze (Timber Bay), Kaché (Reliance), K’ałdëlé (Taltheilei Narrows), and Łutsël K’é Bay. These cabins are used for Ni Hat’ni Dene patrols, to shelter harvesters, and for on the land programming. For the last four years, the department has leased a building from Housing NWT for office space, which it shares with the Wildlife, Lands, and Environment Department (WLED) and Parks Canada. Work has started on the design of an administrative and visitor centre for the protected area, in collaboration with the other partners and the Taylor Architect Group (TAG).  Finances In 2019, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation established a trust to fund its management and operation responsibilities in Thaıdene Nëné, but also to support community stewardship and economic diversification. Together with our partner, Nature United, we raised $15 million, which was matched by the federal government for a total of $30 million. Each year, interest from the Thaıdene Nëné Fund provides the core funding for the department. On average, the trust earns $900,000 annually. If the trust does not perform as it should, we have an agreement with the federal government to provide bridge funding to make up the difference. We also continue to fundraise to support our operations and programs, as the department’s annual budget is usually 1.5-2 million dollars.  Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı UpdateThaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı’s update was delivered by board chair, Addie Jonasson, and board member Emelie Saunders. About Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı The establishment agreements require that within five years of establishment, a management board had to be in place and there also had to be a ten-year management plan. Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı, means “the people that speak for Thaıdene Nëné” in Dene yatı, began operations in January 2021. In addition to develop a management plan for the protected area, the board is responsible for offering guidance to the partners on planning, management, operations, monitoring, and evaluation and making decisions about cultural promotion, ecological protection, access and use permits, and research and monitoring. Board members are appointed by the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation, Northwest Territory Métis Nation, Parks Canada, and the Government of the Northwest Territories. The current board members are Addie Jonasson (chair), Arthur Beck (vice-chair), Emelie Saunders, Gloria Enzoe, Steven Nitah, Earl Evans, and Paul Harrington. The Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation recently announced the re-appointment of its members for an additional term.  Relationship Plan Early on, the board was focused on developing governance policies and operational processes. More recently, they have been working to craft a management plan for Thaıdene Nëné. Protected areas such as Thaıdene Nëné are often guided by management plans. These plans set out a long-term vision, specific objectives, and provide strategic direction. However, the term “management” implies control and ownership over the land, as well as a level of separation between land and people that does not exist within Indigenous worldviews. Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı chose to call the management plan a relationship plan in order to highlight the importance of the relationships between the descendants of the Thaıdene Nëné ancestors, the land, water, and animals. The Dënesųłıné name for the plan is Thaıdene Nëné badı xá, which means working with Thaıdene Nëné. A series of workshops engaging Indigenous knowledge holders, community members, and key partners was held to develop the concept for the plan, identify broad goals, and confirm the vision. In March 2024, the draft plan was released for public comment. Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı held engagement sessions in Łutsël K’é, Fort Resolution, Fort Smith, Hay River, and Yellowknife. The plan has since been revised based on the feedback received from the public. The revised plan is currently being reviewed by the partners (LKDFN, NWTMN, GNWT, and Parks Canada). Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı hopes to release the finalized plan by the end of 2024.  Decisions As noted above, Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı is also responsible for making decisions about licences and permits within the protected area. Since April 2023, the board has made eight decisions on licences and permits for the national park reserve portion of Thaıdene Nëné and five decisions for the territorial protected area portion of Thaıdene Nëné. These have included decisions on business licences, ecological monitoring, research and collection, and commercial film and photography. Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı uses consensus to make decisions. Next Steps Looking to the future, Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı will hire an assistant to support the board, initiate the first five-year review of the establishment agreements, and begin guiding the parties on implementation priorities outlined in the relationship plan. Parks Canada UpdateParks Canada’s update was delivered by Will Tarleton, park operations manager, and Hanna Catholique, learning, employment, and engagement coordinator. At the beginning of their presentation, Will noted that there was significant overlap between the presentations and that speaks to the success of the collaborative approach to governance and operations so far. Will also noted that there is still lots of work to be done because “protecting and sharing this place is a forever project.” Staffing Parks Canada currently has five full-time staff in Łutsël K’é, four of whom are community members. There are also five full-time Thaıdene Nëné staff in Yellowknife. All of the staff in Yellowknife are supposed to be living and working in Łutsël K’é. However, there have been some challenges related to infrastructure. Infrastructure Housing and office space have been the biggest operational challenges to date. However, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation recently passed a band council resolution assigning lots to Parks Canada near the new four-plex that will be used for housing. Parks Canada anticipates that geotechnical assessment of the land will begin this fall. Parks Canada is thankful to have access to the shared office space in the TDN/WLED building, though it is a little tight with five staff in three offices. Parks Canada is supporting the design of the administration and visitor reception facility. Other infrastructure work that has been undertaken since establishment includes improvements to Roger Catling’s cabin at Reliance and work on the Reliance fuel cache. Local contractors have removed old waste and constructed containment platforms and containment berms at the fuel cache. Research and Monitoring Parks Canada has been working with the other parties on a variety of research and monitoring projects in Thaıdene Nëné. Ecological monitoring work builds on the activities and findings of the Biodiversity Monitoring Program, which was initiated in 2021. Following a workshop in spring 2023, during which community members identified monitoring priorities, Parks Canada and Ni Hat’ni Dene have been retrieving and redeploying cameras and audio recording units and conducting vegetation and water monitoring. This work will continue this fall with trips to Ɂedacho Tué (Artillery Lake). Work also continues on the eDNA research project, which uses environmental DNA contained in water to identify fish species. To date, water has been collected from 30 sites. A workshop with the preliminary results was held in the spring. Going forward aquatic monitoring will also include temperature monitoring. In light of the many collaborative research projects underway in Thaıdene Nëné, the parties have been working together to develop a data-sharing agreement. The agreement ensures that if there is research happening in Thaıdene Nëné, it is done appropriately and any data generated remains owned by the nation and the community. This agreement is the first of its kind in Parks Canada.  Community and Visitor Engagement For the last two summers, Parks Canada and the community have hosted a welcome camp at Chëlaa Delk’os Ghe, at the entrance to Habaı Dı̨yághe (Portage Inlet). The purpose of the camp is to welcome visitors to Thaıdene Nëné and provide them with an opportunity to experience a traditional Dene camp setting, including camp activities like dryfish making and hide tanning. Each summer, people from the community are hired to work as camp attendants. In 2023, Sandra and James Lockhart were the camp hosts. This year, Terri Enzoe and her son Kyle were the hosts. The welcome camp has been popular with community members and visitors alike. Other community activities have included school programming (fish dissection, storytelling, career fair), a fish and hide camp in August 2023, and activities at Desnéthcheé in 2023, including a Pike’s Portage hike, visit to the chimneys, and visit to the village. This year, Parks Canada added a code of conduct to the visitor registration process to ensure that visitors receive the necessary information to be respectful guests in Thaıdene Nëné. The code of conduct is based on work done by the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation and was approved by Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı. Work is underway on a more comprehensive visitor orientation program. Visitor Safety and Wildfire To date, Parks Canada has identified and managed 13 wildfires. They have also responded to eight visitor safety incidents responses. Only four of these have been in the national park reserve portion of Thaıdene Nëné. Parks Canada will support responses through the protected area. Parks Canada has also been expanding the values at risk database, which includes cultural sites and infrastructure) to ensure they are making informed decisions related to wildfire management. Community Workshops and Training In July 2023, Parks Canada and the other parties hosted a trails planning workshop for community members at Nıtł'ë́r Nué Naá Tł'áázı̨ (Wildbread Bay). The workshop was guided by the late Albert Boucher. During the day, participants visited nearby sites by boat. In the evenings, there were sessions to discuss local history and trail planning. Community members determined that the priority was to clean up existing trails and deliver trail building construction training before developing any new trails. Trail construction training took place in June 2023. Other workshops have included a bone tool-making workshop with Charlie Catholique, genealogy workshops with Emelie Saunders, and Dene yatı classes. Work Ahead Future work includes continuing site clean-ups at the old lodge on Łúh Chogh Tué (Whitefish Lake), the Reliance fuel cache, and other locations identified by community members; further developing visitor orientation materials; training opportunities for community members; trail improvements; and staffing. Parks Canada Trainee UpdatesOne of the highlights of the community update was hearing from Theron Abel-Desjarlais. Theron, along with Tyson Marlowe and Dacho Poole, has been a parks operations trainee since March 2023. Theron shared photos and stories about his experiences as a trainee. Trainees have participated in a wide range of trainings, including wilderness first aid (“This was the most fun”), firearms safety, whitewater paddling, drone operation, and small vessels operations (“We went to Yellowknife to learn how to confidently drive the big Parks boat. I’m still working on how to park it”). They have also supported and delivered a variety of programs including the welcome camp, school programs, and research and monitoring activities. For Theron, the highlight of the trainee experience was the 2023 canoe trip on the Snowdrift River. Over the course of 10 days, the three trainees and three Parks employees travelled from Thaı Tué Dare (Sandy Lake) to Kezuchaı́ Tué (Siltaza Lake). Along the way, they saw lots of animals, but especially muskox; stopped at points of interest, including old cabin sites; collected water samples for the eDNA project; retrieved cameras and ARUs; and practiced their drone skills.  Government of the Northwest Territories UpdateThe GNWT update was delivered by Danielle Thompson, manager of conservation implementation for the Department of Environment and Climate Change, and Eva Paul, senior Conservation Areas Advisor. The Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation signed agreements with the Government of the Northwest Territories to create the Thaıdene Nëné Territorial Protected Area and the Thaıdene Nëné Wildlife Conservation Area. GNWT staff stressed that the territorial government is very new to protected areas work. Whereas the first national parks act was passed in 1887, the Territorial Protected Areas Act only came into force in 2019, and the Thaıdene Nëné Territorial Protected Area was the first territorial protected area established in the NWT. Danielle made the comparison to trying to build a plan as you are flying it. You are going somewhere, but sometimes it’s bumpy. The GNWT’s primary role in Thaıdene Nëné is implementing the commitments they made in the establishment agreements and supporting implementation by working with Thaıdene Nëné Xá Dá Yáłtı and the other partners. They also working internally to ensure that existing laws, policies, and processes align with those commitments. The GNWT only has one full-time staff dedicated to the protected area: renewable resource officer, Shonto Catholique, though a casual protected area officer position was recently made a term position and the hope is that it will . The remaining staff are based out of Yellowknife and primarily conducting policy work. Limited salary and program dollars have constrained the GNWT’s work on Thaıdene Nëné to date, so in addition to developing policies and processes and improving communications both internally and externally, protected areas staff are fundraising. Biodiversity Monitoring Update Claudia Haas, a PhD student at Wilfrid Laurier who is currently on education leave from the GNWT, presented about the NWT Biodiversity Monitoring Program.
This was a project initiated by Claudia and Samuel Haché (Canadian Wildlife Service) to work with communities across the territory to document biodiversity on their lands. Photos and audio recordings have been gathered from more than 1,100 sites across the NWT. The Thaıdene Nëné portion of the project happened in 2021-22, though work has continued on biodiversity monitoring within the protected area since then. Initially, 62 stations with five sets of cameras and audio recroders were established in different habitats across Thaıdene Nëné. The information gathered through these sites is being used by graduate students at Wilfrid Laurier to answer questions about: relationships between habitat, caribou, and other species; the location of muskox; Indigenous data sovereignty and ecological data; modelling for wildfire response; and wildlife as communities.  One of the primary goals of the Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area is to ensure that the Dënesųłıné way of life continues long into the future. To make this a reality, our way of life needs to be exercised, nurtured, and passed along. Building on our traditions of travelling Thaıdene Nëné by canoe and the success of previous youth programming, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation’s Thaıdene Nëné Department and the Wildlife, Lands, and Environment Department created the Retracing Our Roots Youth Canoe Trip. The goal of the trip was to allow our people to spend time on our land, travelling our ancestral waterways. The trip was also meant to be an opportunity for young people to learn more about the land, water, wildlife, and plants of our homeland. Retracing Our Roots is just one example of the many land- and water-based programs LKDFN’s Thaıdene Nëné Department has developed to strengthen the connection between Elders and youth and ensure the transmission and continuation of our Indigenous knowledge. Canoe trip participants received three days of canoe training from Jackpine Paddle prior to departure. They spent the first day in Łutsël K’é Bay perfecting their strokes and manoeuvres like pivots and turns, before moving to the Stark Lake rapids, where they completed two days of moving water training.
Moving water training was necessary because the youth and Elders were going to paddle the Snowdrift River from the tundra to Kezuchaı́ Tué (Siltaza Lake). Unfortunately, successive days of wind prevented the charter from making the trip and forced a change of plans. Instead on July 11, the twelve paddlers were boated across Christie Bay to the south side of Golaá Ga (Pethei Peninsula), where they began their trip. The LKDFN youth participants were Dawn Catholique, Shene Catholique-Valpy, Dennay Catholique, Nolan Lockhart, Caleb Desjarlais, Ashton Gahdële, Kairo Talbot, Sine Catholique, and Gabriel Enzoe Jr.
From Golaá Ga, the canoe trip participants navigated through Łét’a Dı̨yághe K'é (The Gap), Nıtł'ë́r Nué Na á Tł'áázı̨́ (Wildbread Bay), and across the portage at Łét’a Tsëlaze into Tacheé Tł'áázı̨́ (McLeod Bay). Youth guardian Ashton Catholique was familiar with many of the places on the trip, but he appreciated the opportunity to travel through the area and revisit those places at a slower pace. “I felt like I was seeing places that I knew with new eyes,” he says.
 One of the challenges of the new route was long open water crossings on one of the biggest lakes in the country. This was something some of the paddlers were nervous about. But in the end, the wind and waves cooperated and the crossings were among the highlights of the trip for some, including Shene Catholique-Valpy. “My favourite part was the big water crossings. It was supposed to be windy but it was really calm that day.”  Dawn Catholique’s favourite part of the trip was “being able to connect with the land, the water, the wildlife.” “Most importantly,” she adds, “I was able to experience this canoe trip with my daughters, Dennay and Sine.” For twelve-year-old Sine, the highlight of the trip was camping out. Likewise, eleven-year-old Kairo Talbot thought “sleeping on the land was the best part of the canoe trip.” On July 16, after paddling for 87 kilometres, the Retracing Our Roots participants landed at Kałdëlé (Taltheilei Narrows), where community members, including Elders Archie Gahdële, Alex Rabesca, and Doris Catholique, were awaiting their arrival. The paddlers shared stories of their trip. They also learned more from the Elders about the establishment of Treaty 8 and the history of Łutsël K’é Dene at Kałdëlé.
The larger group, which also included Tyra Basil, Sadie Basil, Tanis Desjarlais, Serenity Abel, and Dacho Poole, spent the next few days enjoying time on the land together. In addition to relaxing and eating delicious meals prepared by cook, Saniz Catholique- Baton, the group visited a local waterfall, fished, and played games.
Nolan Lockhart grew up in Yellowknife, but has spent the last two years working in his home community of Łutsël K’é as a youth guardian with the Thaıdene Nëné Department. Along with Desnéthcheé (the spiritual gathering at Fort Reliance), the canoe trip was the highlight of Nolan’s summer. “I had never gone on an expedition like that. The guides from Jackpine Paddle had a different way to be on the land compared to what I’m used to, different systems. It was neat to see how they worked.” Other participants also talked about the skills they learned on the trip. Sine learned how to paddle a canoe. Her mother, Dawn, feels like a more knowledgeable paddler since the canoe training and trip. She also thought it was fun to learn how to sail a canoe. Kairo learned how to avoid tipping and paddle a canoe in rapids. His mother, Shene, feels like she became a stronger paddler while retracing her roots. She also learned how to properly steer a canoe.
“I highly recommend this trip to the youth because it’s a great opportunity for them to learn how to navigate our land, adapt and utilize the necessary skills when travelling. These opportunities are vital because one day the skills the youth gained will be passed on to the next generations.” – Dawn Catholique “I would highly recommend a paddling expedition to anyone, but especially to young adults looking for guidance. There is no better teacher than our Mother Earth.” – Ashton Catholique
Mársı cho to the Thaıdene Nëné Department and Wildlife, Lands, and Environment Department staff who organized the trip and especially the Ni Hat’ni Dene guardians who were present in the area monitoring and making sure the youth paddlers were safe. The canoe trip received financial support from the Ărramăt Project as well the Thaıdene Nëné Department. Mársı cho as well to Corey Myers, manager of LKDFN’s Frontier Lodge, for logistical support and to Peter Greenland, Jack Weaver, and Pierre-Benoit Rondeau-Chalifoux from Jackpine Paddle for training and guiding. Lastly, mársı cho to the many local youth and Elders of Łutsël K’é, who participated in and supported the trip. Based on the positive feedback received from the participants, we hope to plan future trips with local and regional youth and Elders.
The full posting is available at: https://www.gov.nt.ca/careers/en/job/25571
Job Summary Location: Łutsël K’é Department: Environment and Climate Change Job ID: 25571 Salary: $87,419 - $104,423 Employment Type:Full-Time, Temporary Closing Date: August 29, 2024 Limited Competition This job opening is limited to residents living within 25 kilometres of Łutsël K’é. Department Information The mandate of the Department of Environment and Climate Change is to manage land, water, air, wildlife, and forests. This includes promoting, planning, and supporting the wise and sustainable use of natural resources, and protecting, restoring, and stewarding the environment for the social and economic benefit of all Northwest Territories residents. Job Information Located in Łutsël K’é and reporting to the Renewable Resource Officer III, the RROII is responsible for implementing strategies for effective promotion, administration and enforcement of departmental program delivery through an assigned district area. This includes delivery of resource development programs, undertaking wildlife management and enforcement activities, environmental monitoring, protection and integration initiatives, forest harvesting and fire management projects, and the associated supervision of seasonal and casual personnel and management of fixed assets. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES • Seasoned technical writing skills (English) and a high level of verbal skills (English) are necessary to communicate departmental positions on resource management issues and regulatory matters to stakeholders (e.g., harvesters and community- based resource organizations) and other agencies and to fulfill departmental requirements (e.g., enforcement reports, proposals). • Ability to speak and write in an applicable aboriginal language are considered assets. • Extensive management experience and skills to plan, organize and coordinate multiple and divergent activities with other government and non-government organizations within the region. • Considerable human resource management and supervision skills are required to oversee casual and seasonal staff. • Detailed knowledge of resource harvesting techniques and activities in the region. Typically, the above qualifications would be attained by: Graduation from a recognized 2-year College Diploma program (i.e., Renewable Resource Management Technology) or similar advanced vocational program and progressively more responsible experience in the renewable resource sector with related resource management and administration experience. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS - Living and working on the land in isolated conditions with experienced people to provide training and experience necessary for living and traveling in all seasons and conditions. - A Firearms Acquisition Certificate - Valid driver's license - A bona fide requirement of the job is passing the annual work simulation fitness standard. Term Position This job opening is until March 31, 2025. Affirmative Action Candidates must clearly identify their eligibility in order to receive priority consideration under the Affirmative Action Policy. Criminal Records Check Candidates must provide a satisfactory criminal record check. Failure to provide a satisfactory check may deem you disqualified from the competition. Physical Fitness Requirements Bona Fide requirement of position is the ability to pass an annual work fitness simulation. Driver's License Requirement A mandatory requirement for this position is a valid Class 5 Driver's License Bona Fide Requirement A mandatory requirement for this position is a Firearms Possession/Acquisition Licence. Non-Traditional This job opening is for a Non-Traditional Occupations. Candidates must clearly identify their eligibility in order to receive priority consideration under the Affirmative Action Policy. Diversity and Inclusion The Government of the Northwest Territories is an inclusive workplace. If you have a disability and you require support during the hiring process, you are encouraged to identify your needs if you are contacted for an assignment or interview so that you may be accommodated during the hiring process. Eligibility Eligibility lists may be created from this competition to fill future term and indeterminate positions. Equivalencies Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered. Job Opening Information Job Opening ID # 25571 Closing Date: August 29, 2024 - 23:59, Mountain Time Salary Information The salary for this position starts at $44.83 per hour (approximately $87,419 per annum) plus an annual Northern Allowance of $18,479. GNWT Inquiries Inquiries Only: Department of Finance Government of the Northwest Territories YELLOWKNIFE CENTRE 5TH FLOOR BOX 1320 YELLOWKNIFE NT X1A 2L9 Tel (867) 767-9154 Extension 14106 Fax (867) 873-0445 [email protected] Note: If you do not receive electronic notification confirming receipt of your application, please follow up via telephone. As part of the fifth anniversary celebrations, the Thaıdene Nëné Department is hosting a traditional handgames tournament. The first place team will take home $8,000! The deadline to register is Friday, August 23, at 5pm. Email your registration form to [email protected] with payment or drop your form and payment off to the Thaıdene Nëné office.  This August, the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the signing of the establishment agreements for the Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area. We have planned a full weekend of activities including a handgames tournament, a fishing derby, drum dances, a community feast, and a community BBQ. We hope you will join us to celebrate in Łutsël K’é August 23-25! 
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