Lutselk'e votes to support creation of Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve

Members of the Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation voted in favour of the proposed Thaidene NeneNational Park Reserve on Monday. They approved agreements between the community, the government of Canada and the government of the Northwest Territories to create the park.

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StevenNitah, lead negotiator for theLutselK'eDeneFirst Nation, said89 per cent of voters supported a resolution for chief and council to "finalize and establishThaideneNenein partnership with Parks Canada and the government of the Northwest Territories."

More than 19 years of negotiation have gone into the creation ofThaideneNene, a proposed park touted as what would be the most progressive protected area in Canada.ThaideneNeneis 26,376 square kilometres of land northeast ofLutselk'e. Its core would be a national park, with a territorially protected area surrounding that.

The vote was not a formal legal step in the negotiation process, but Nitah said it is important for the community.

"First Nations governments have their own way of making decisions and [in] Lutselk'e we're a very democratic community when it comes to lands and resources," Nitah said.

"It's the members that have the final say and they give direction to the chief and council on what that say is."

Elder JC Catholiquesaid he did thefire-feeding ceremony when negotiations for the park began 10 years ago.

He said when the results of the vote came in, it was a "happy time."

"Towards the end of the hearings, the lastmonth or so, you could feel that excitement that people are ready to go for it. So there was a moment of excitement. Yes, it's going to be positive."

Treaty 8

Nitah said the agreements reflect the First Nation's understanding of its treaty relationship with the federal government and its relationship with the territorial government. The First Nation signed on to Treaty 8 in Fort Resolution in 1900.

"We agreed to share the lands, resources and the responsibilities to manage and benefit from that relationship," Nitah said.

What we've negotiated is the protection of Thaidene Nene and the protection of the Dene way of life within Thaidene Nene.- Steven Nitah

"What we've done is articulate what we believe that treaty relationship was supposed to be going back to 1900 from our perspective as an Indigenous people.

"What we've negotiated is the protection of Thaidene Nene and the protection of the Dene way of life within Thaidene Nene."

Nitah has previously said Thaidene Nene would create a "conservation economy" in Lutselk'e the park reserve would create 18 jobs in the community, including eight full-time positions.

Thaidene Nene includes both boreal forest and tundra threaded with lakes, rivers and waterfalls. The east arm of Great Slave Lake boasts spectacular cliffs and islands and some of the deepest freshwater in North America.

Catholiquesaid the agreement will protect "a really unique place."

"It's really pristine, like, clean and good water, lots of animals.Historical.That's where most of the families fromLutselk'eare from there. Spiritual too."

Catholique said it feels good to know spiritually-important areas will be protected from development. He believes his ancestors were guiding the community as they made their decision.

"That land is going to be protected for mychildren, for their children,for thefuturegenerations of our community, for our nation," he said.

About 14,000 square kilometres of Thaidene Nene is to be managed as a national park. Another 12,000 square kilometres under territorial control would have similar protections to the national park.

Steps remain before Thaidene Nene is formally established. According to a spokesperson with the territorial government, legislation governing a new Protected Areas Act must first be made law.

The government expects to approve the legislation this year.