An intergovernmental partnership table, reconciliation scorecard and inclusive land acknowledgment are among recommendations in a new report that aims to help the City of Yellowknife advance reconciliation.
The city hired Tanya Tourangeau – a Dene woman from the NWT and a reconciliation consultant – to prepare the report, which was recently published in city council documents and is titled Walking Forward Together: Yellowknife’s Reconciliation Roadmap Report.
The report details work the city has completed toward reconciliation so far while identifying gaps, and goals and opportunities for the next decade. The report also recommends steps and targets for the next three years, which it says are “the proving ground for a 10-year horizon.”
“The outcome is a truthful, welcoming, inclusive Yellowknife that grows talent, opportunity and pride across the Northwest Territories,” the report states.
“Reconciliation in a municipal context is not a slogan. It is the day-to-day work of changing how a city governs, serves, plans, buys, hires and builds relationships with Indigenous governments and residents.”
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‘The most potent’ goal
One of the 10-year goals outlined in the report is for the city to co-develop a permanent intergovernmental partnership table with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, Tłı̨chǫ Government and North Slave Métis Alliance. The report states the table would support planning and shared decisions on land, housing, infrastructure, safety, culture, enterprise and major advocacy.
Over the next three years, the report recommends confirming the table’s terms of reference, creating a joint secretariat and publishing a shared annual work plan and minutes, among other steps.
City manager Stephen Van Dine told councillors during a meeting on Monday that the report’s partnership table goal was “the most potent at this juncture.”
Another goal in the report is for the city to co-develop a reconciliation scorecard with Indigenous partners and community input.
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The report says the scorecard would serve as a public tool to measure progress on reconciliation goals, hold council accountable, empower Indigenous governments and educate the community.
“Done well, the scorecard will make reconciliation not just a principle or plan, but a practice visible in the lives of everyone who calls Yellowknife home,” the report states.
The report recommends that the city launch the reconciliation scorecard over the next three years by piloting it with one or two departments and publishing the first edition.
Recognizing the role of Tłı̨chǫ, Métis and Inuit
A further 10-year goal in the report is for the city to have an inclusive and precise land acknowledgement that “keeps the truth of Chief Drygeese territory” – the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene – while respectfully recognizing the role that Tłı̨chǫ citizens, members of the North Slave Métis Alliance and Inuit play in Yellowknife.
In 2022, the Tłı̨chǫ Government announced that it wanted Yellowknife land acknowledgements to recognize that the city is part of traditional Tłı̨chǫ territory. The Yellowknives Dene First Nation said at the time the request amounted to overreach.
Other 10-year goals recommended in the report are for Yellowknife to have:
- Indigenous culture and language visible across public spaces as well as co-branded tourism that shares revenue with Indigenous partners;
- a sustained pipeline of Indigenous-led housing supported by the city;
- municipal enforcement that is culturally safe and trauma-informed with annual training and transparent reporting;
- business licensing and procurement that normalize Indigenous participation, employment and supplier development; and
- long-term guardianship, monitoring and climate adaptation programs co-led with Indigenous governments.
Among the three-year targets outlined are for the city and partners to:
- advance two to three Indigenous-led housing projects using city tools;
- embed business reconciliation in licensing and procurement;
- launch a cultural district planning process and build Indigenous-authored programming into city events and marketing;
- train all municipal enforcement staff in de-escalation, co-design patrol approaches, and publish safety metrics; and
- expand guardianship and monitoring near Yellowknife Bay and the watershed and align remediation-related training with Indigenous employment pathways.
The report says taking this path is “timely and pragmatic” as Yellowknife is managing three intersecting realities: the territorial economy is adjusting with diamond mines winding down, Indigenous economic strength is growing nationally, and climate risk is intensifying.
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“Yellowknife stands at an inflection point, with real achievements to honour and real work still ahead,” the document states.
Councillors support report
The city says its next step is to engage with Indigenous partners on the report and its recommendations.
Councillor Garett Cochrane said on Monday that he fully supported the report, particularly the recommendation to develop an intergovernmental partnership table.
He said the city would not have to reinvent the wheel and pointed to the Thebacha Leadership Council – a leaders’ table between the Salt River First Nation, Fort Smith Métis Council, Tthebatthi Denesųłiné Nation and Town of Fort Smith – as a potential model.
Councillor Ryan Fequet also expressed support for the report, describing it as “a lovely early Christmas” present. He highlighted having a scorecard as a beneficial initiative.
“I absolutely agree that such a tool that demonstrates and communicates our progress and our accountability in a transparent way is crucial,” he said.
Councillor Rob Foote noted the city “is actively taking tangible steps towards reconciliation and it’s not all symbolic.”
Among achievements to date, the report included the city adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, providing land for the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation’s healing camp, developing a joint economic development strategy with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and including Wıı̀lıı̀deh language on stop signs.
