Dene National Assembly resolutions include new water office

Delegates at last week’s Dene National Assembly discussed a broad set of resolutions ranging from housing, child and family services and water protection to major NWT infrastructure projects.

Among them, a resolution was passed to revise the organization’s constitution, describing the current bylaws as complex and overlapping.

While some leaders had questioned the ongoing relevance of the Dene Nation in its nonprofit structure, others argued a renewed constitution would strengthen unity, accountability and collective political power.

Leanne Goose, a spokesperson for the Dene Nation, said at the assembly in Fort Good Hope that its constitution and associated documents hadn’t been revisited since an “extensive turnover in leadership.”

Goose said work on those documents was vital to ensuring chiefs and communities understand their roles and responsibilities.

She added that turnover among chiefs may have created gaps in understanding, too.

Elsewhere, a resolution was passed calling for greater Dene involvement in child and family services while supporting national reform efforts.

Another resolution was moved to support the development of housing under the federal Build Canada Homes program. It requested political support from the NWT premier alongside administrative funding to initiate projects, and set out a framework to ensure accountability and meaningful community engagement.

Chief Devin Felker of West Point First Nation, in his first motion, introduced a resolution advocating for fair and equitable pay for Dene chiefs.

Highlighting longstanding funding challenges faced by his First Nation, Felker pointed out that smaller communities consistently receive less support than larger ones.

“I’m not sure how much the other chiefs are getting paid, but I know that our funding hasn’t changed, and I’ve been getting paid $1,400 a month – that’s like $700 every two weeks. I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t live off of that,” he noted.

Felker added he is currently the chief and housing coordinator for West Point First Nation, NWT representative on the AFN National Youth Council and video editor for the Dehcho Youth Energy Action Council.

He said he holds several titles “so that I can survive, so that I can take time, on my own time, to go and speak to the Elders, speak to the community, see what they’d like to see changed. And this is one of the big things that needs to be changed.”

Resolutions on water

Henry Beaver told the assembly transboundary water protection is a key issue that requires urgent attention.

Beaver raised the idea of developing alternative freshwater sources, such as piping water from inland lakes, to ensure safe drinking water for communities like Salt River First Nation and Fort Smith if existing sources become compromised. (For years, Indigenous nations in Alberta and communities in the NWT have raised concerns about the effects of industry like oil sands mining on the Athabasca River and other water bodies downstream.)

Beaver said the Dene Nation is working alongside Treaty 8 First Nations in Alberta to determine a path forward, including the possibility of legal action to protect water rights.

“Water is life,” he said. “It’s something that we cannot walk away from and we cannot say, ‘That’s OK.'”

A resolution was passed directing the Dene Nation to seek funding to establish its own water office, citing water as sacred and central to Dene identity, law, health and treaty rights. 

The assembly pointed to “increasing industrial development, climate change and regulatory pressures” as growing risks to water quality, quantity and governance.

The proposed office would support water protection, research, advocacy and engagement with territorial and federal governments. Dene Nation leadership was directed to develop an implementation plan and report back to the assembly.

Another resolution asserted that the Government of the Northwest Territories’ transboundary water regime has failed to uphold Dene treaty and inherent water rights under Treaties 8 and 11.

The resolution stated that while transboundary water agreements – such as the one between the NWT and Alberta – were intended to protect downstream waters, they “have failed to prevent cumulative impacts, degradation and risks to water quality.”

Delegates passed a motion urging Canada to deny regulatory approvals for Imperial Oil’s operations at Norman Wells unless “free, prior and informed consent” is obtained from all affected Indigenous nations.

The motion stated that Imperial Oil has operated in the Norman Wells area for more than a century “without the consent of impacted Indigenous nations,” while both the company and the federal government have benefited financially.

Tourism tax, major projects and Cerb

The assembly passed a resolution identifying the Mackenzie Valley Highway as a priority major project, directing the Dene Nation to advocate for its inclusion in upcoming federal and territorial infrastructure discussions.

Last year, an Indigenous advisory council of 11 members on two-year terms was established to advise the Carney government’s new Major Projects Office and represents Indigenous communities across Canada. A motion was passed last week to support the naming of a Dene representative to that council, though it’s unclear if the office intends to revise the council’s composition before its members’ two years are up.

Dene National Chief George Mackenzie raised concerns about the council’s lack of regional representation to Crown-Indigenous relations minister Rebecca Alty, who joined the meeting via video call.

In response, Alty said council members provide advice but do not represent any specific region or nation. 

Another resolution that passed rejected the federal government’s firearms legislation under Bill C-21, while the assembly passed a resolution urging the removal of Yellowknife’s tourism tax for Dene members travelling for medical, business or essential purposes, asserting that it unfairly penalizes non-tourism visits.

Delegates also called for an immediate freeze on pandemic-era Canada Emergency Response Benefit repayment demands for NWT First Nations, calling for a review of eligibility communication amid financial hardship.

Chief Melanie Norwegian-Menacho of Jean Marie River put forward the assembly’s final resolution, to enhance support for medical travel patients and expand eligibility for medical escorts.

Elder Juni Gahdële spoke about the importance of having an escort when individuals travel for counselling, noting that going alone can leave them in a vulnerable situation.