Summary: The Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (SDMCLCA) was intended to recognize the self determination of Sahtu Dene and Metis and support the Dehlá Got’ı̨ne to exercise their authorities to protect wildlife directly through the Colville Lake RRC and through co-management arrangements with other governments and institutions.

This Dehlá Got’ı̨ne ʔədǝ Plan is developed to protect Dehlá Got’ı̨ne ʔədə by following Dehlá Got’ı̨ne ʔeʔá. The SDMCLCA and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples support the need for Indigenous knowledge, customs and practices to achieve conservation. In 2016, the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board (SRRB) held a hearing on Bluenose East (BNE) ʔədǝ, and adopted a community conservation planning approach as the best option for achieving conservation outcomes in the Sahtu region. This approach was accepted by the GNWT Minister in February 2017.

The Dehlá Got’ı̨ne have developed this ʔədǝ Plan to build on the objectives set out in ourʔədə Declaration:

1. We are the Dehlá Got’ı̨ne. Dehlá Got’ı̨ne were placed on Dehlá Got’ı̨ne traditional territory by Newehsı̨ne. We have governed Dehlá Got’ı̨ne land for centuries, since time immemorial.

2. The ʔədə were placed on Dehlá Got’ı̨ne traditional territory by Newehsı̨ne. Newehsı̨ne gave us the gift of the ʔədə for us to take.

3. It is the Dehlá Got’ı̨ne responsibility to take care of the ʔədə and it is the responsibility of the ʔədə to take care of us.4. We carry the history of Dehlá Got’ı̨ne grandfathers and grandmothers who carried the history of their grandfathers and grandmothers over an immense expanse of time and space.

5. Dehlá Got’ı̨ne ancestors taught the Dehlá Got’ı̨ne how to maintain our relationship with the ʔədə so that the ʔədə will take care of Dehlá Got’ı̨ne through all Dehlá Got’ı̨ne hardships.

6. If Dehlá Got’ı̨ne abandon Dehlá Got’ı̨ne responsibilities with the ʔədə, then Dehlá Got’ı̨ne will lose the gift of the ʔədə.

7. The ʔədə are the Dehlá Got’ı̨ne connection to Dehlá Got’ı̨ne land and Dehlá Got’ı̨ne are part of the natural cycle of the ʔədə.

8. Dehlá Got’ı̨ne ʔədə are to be respected according to Dehlá Got’ı̨ne ʔeʔá.

Dehlá Got’ı̨ne Tseduweh ʔəde Ah’ah, 2019

PART 1 - Citation

PART II - Interpretation and Application

PART III - Roles and Responsibilities

PART IV - Rights and Authorizations

PART V - Enforcement

Schedule A- Authorization Form for non-Dehla Got’ine Harvesters

This plain language slide presentation outlines Colville Lake's Dehla Got'ine Ehde Plan. 

This is the Information Request Response from the Ross River Dena Council.

This is Colville's response to Round 1 Information Requests. The response highlights questions that are addressed by Colville's proposed Dehlá Got’ı ne ʔədə Plan and the draft and the draft Dehlá Got’ı̨ne Ts’ı̨duweh ʔədə ʔeɂá, 2019, submitted to the Ɂehdzo Got'ı̨nę Gots'ę́ Nákedı (Sahtú Renewable Resources Board) on October 21, 2019. Some additional information is provided. Colville indicates that on several questions, further discussion is needed.

This document includes a cover letter and responses to Round 1 Information Requests (IRs), including IRs that were directed specifically to ENR. A selection of the public documents referenced in this response have been added to the Relevant Documents folder in this Public Registry.

In this letter, the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) outlines the expectation that the community conservation planning process in the Sahtú will "comply with the transboundary agreements to which the Sahtú Renewable Resources Board is party, including the Memorandum of Understanding for the Advisory Committee for Cooperation on Wildlife Management (ACCWM) and the Taking Care of Caribou Management Plan (ACCWM 2014)." This includes sharing detailed monthly harvest information among regions. This letter is of special relevance to Round 1 Information Request 2.3 issued by the SRRB:

In the North, each region has a wildlife management authority that works with communities to determine the approach to caribou conservation. Do you have concerns about the coordination of caribou hunting regulation across regions? How do you propose that these concerns be addressed?

Ross River Dena Council has provided responses to Round 2 Information Requests, as follows:

1.1 Could you provide examples of traditional caribou conservation measures used in your community? (ENR)

1.2 Could you describe the traditional harvesting practices of your community as they relate to harvesting cows vs bulls or different age classes of animals throughout the year? (ENR)

2.1 During the collaborative drafting of the Wildlife Act, which included representatives from Aboriginal governments and wildlife co-management boards, it was heard that a hunter education course should be developed and made available to all hunters in the NWT. As of January 1, 2020, the course will be a legislated requirement for new hunters in the NWT. It is online, free and available now (www.enr.gov.nt.ca/en/services/hunter-education). Although Sahtú rights holders are exempt from the requirement to take the course, we previously heard a desire for Sahtú youth and new or inexperienced hunters to take the course. ENR can make these courses available in-person, would you be interested in this style of delivery?

4.1 In considering the capacity of the SRRB and the Parties, and the experience of preparing for the Colville 2020 Public Listening Session, do you support a revised timeline for Public Listening Sessions with only one Session per year, with a schedule to prepare for each Session in modest steps throughout the year, and completion of Reasons for Decision report by March 31? Please comment on the following timeline, topics and hosting communities, keeping in mind the benefits of holding sessions during winter road season to maximize participation:

• 2021 – Session 2: Knowledge of Caribou and Landscapes (Délı̨nę)
• 2022 – Session 3: Caribou and Predators (Fort Good Hope)
• 2023 – Session 4: Wildfires, Climate Change and Caribou Habitat (Tulı́t'a)
• 2024 – Session 5: The Sahtú Mixed Economy and Caribou Conservation (N. Wells)
• 2025 - SRRB Final Wrap-up Hearing Report

This is the WRRB's final 2019 Reasons for Decision Report for the Sahtì Ekwǫ̀ (Bluenose-East Caribou) Herd with the corrected Appendix I, submitted as a companion to their written submission to the SRRB for the Colville 2020 Public Listening Session. The Report is related to the joint management proposal, entitled "Joint Proposal on Management Actions for the Bluenose-East Ɂekwǫ (Barren-ground caribou) Herd 2019 – 2021".

This document, provided as a companion to the written submission of the Wek'èezhı̀ı Renewable Resources Board (WRRB), is the Implementation Tracking Table for the WRRB’s 2019 Sahtì Ekwǫ̀ determinations and recommendations.

This is the joint Tłı̨chǫ Government and Government of the NWT response to the Wek'èezhı̀ı Renewable Resources Board (WRRB) reasons for decisions and recommendations included in the Sahtı̀ Ekwǫ̀ (Bluenose East caribou) Final Report. It was submitted as a companion to the WRRB's written submission for the Colville 2020 Public Listening Session.

The Wek'èezhı̀ı Renewable Resources Board's (WRRB's) written submission and supporting documents provide the SRRB with additional information about the involvement of the WRRB in management of the Sahtì ekwǫ̀ herd in the Northwest Territories, specifically Wek’èezhìı. The submission concludes, "Since the Sahtì ekwǫ̀ herd has continued to decline since 2009, the Board believes that all peoples who harvest the herd must do their part to ensure the herd’s recovery. Users and managers must act now, in whatever ways possible, to protect the herd so future recovery may be possible. The WRRB looks forward to continuing a collaborative relationship with the SRRB regarding barren-ground caribou."

Supporting documents provided by the WRRB are as follows:

• WRRB’s 2019 Sahtì Ekwǫ̀ Reasons for Decision Report, entitled “Report on a Public Hearing Held by the Wek’èezhìı Renewable Resources Board 9-11 April 2019 Behchokǫ̀, NT & Reasons for Decisions Related to a Joint Proposal for the Management of the Sahtì Ekwǫ̀ (Bluenose-East Caribou) Herd.”
• Response from the GNWT and TG to the WRRB’s 2019 Sahtì Ekwǫ̀ Reasons for Decision Report.
• Implementation Tracking Table for the WRRB’s 2019 Sahtì Ekwǫ̀ determinations and recommendations.

ENR's submission in response to Round 2 Information Requests includes a cover letter and responses to two questions related to Topic 4: Public Listening Process and Timelines. ENR is supportive of a revised timeline for the remaining four Public Listening Sessions, and  identifies questions related to the Final Wrap‐up Hearing Report. Considerations related to the timeline for Public Listening Session 2 are outlined.

Round 2 Information Requests (IRs) issued by the Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨nę Gots’ę́ Nákedı (Sahtú Renewable Resources Board – SRRB) on December 20, 2019 included questions to the SRRB arising from a letter addressed to the SRRB from the Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (NWT – WMAC [NWT]), as well as a question posed by NWT Environment and Natural Resources. These questions and the SRRB's responses are related to Topic 3: Transboundary Agreements, and Topic 4: Public Listening Process and Timelines.

NWT Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) has provided additional materials in response to Information Request Round 1. These materials address Topic 2: Hunting Laws, IR 2.4. IR 2.4 is a request to ENR and Délı̨nę for an update on actions related to Decision 38 in the SRRB's Bluenose East Hearing Report, requesting that "they immediately begin a process for determining whether and how the restorative justice code for ɂekwé ̨ ɂeɂa hegerı̨chá gha góɂǫ (enforcement) in Délı̨nę’s Belare Wı́le Gots’ę́ Ɂekwę́ plan will be recognized as an 'Alternative Measures' option" under Article 167 of the NWT Wildlife Act.

Délı̨nę has provided responses to Round 1 Information Requests as follows:

Topic 1: Caribou Status

IRs to All Parties

1.1 Which kinds of caribou most concern you as a Party: ɂedǝ/ɂekwę́ (Bluenose West or Bluenose East barren-ground caribou), shúhtagoɂepę́ (Northern Mountain caribou), or tǫdzı (Boreal Woodland caribou)? Describe your main conservation concerns. (SRRB)

Topic 2: Hunting Law

IRs to All Parties

2.1 Do you have concerns about regulation of caribou harvest? What are your concerns? (SRRB)

2.2 How do you ensure that Indigenous harvesters that are not from your jurisdiction respect local hunting laws? How do you deal with visiting Indigenous harvesters that violate local hunting laws? (SRRB)

2.3 In the North, each region has a wildlife management authority that works with communities to determine the approach to caribou conservation. Do you have concerns about the coordination of caribou hunting regulation across regions? How do you propose that these concerns be addressed? (SRRB)

IR to Délı̨nę and NWT Environment and Natural Resources (ENR)

2.4 In its 2016 Ɂekwę́ hé Dene Ts’ı̨lı̨ - Sustaining Relationships Hearing Report (BNE Hearing Report), accepted by the Minister, the SRRB asked the following: “Délı̨nę and the Government of the NWT are requested to immediately begin a process for determining whether and how the restorative justice code for ɂekwę́ ɂeɂa hegerı̨chá gha góɂǫ (enforcement) in Délı̨nę’s Belare Wı́le Gots’ę́ Ɂekwę́ plan will be recognized as an “Alternative Measures” option under the Wildlife Act” (Hearing Decision 38). Can Délı̨nę and ENR indicate whether there have been any discussions about how the proposed restorative justice code developed by Délı̨nę will be recognized as one of the “Alternative Measures” for enforcement under the Wildlife Act? If not, what would assist in further dialogue on this? (SRRB)

IRs to Délı̨nę

2.5 We understand that Délı̨nę's Belare Wı́le Gots'ę́ Ɂekwę́ plan has been community-approved and implemented by the community since November 2015. It was approved by the SRRB on July 28, 2016, and approved by the ENR Minister Robert C. McLeod on February 22, 2017. How effective have the hunting regulation parts of the plan have been over the past four years in supporting ɂekwę́ conservation? (SRRB)

2.6 Délı̨nę provided information about the status of Ɂehdaı̨la Ɂekwę́ (Bluenose East caribou) for the November 19-20, 2019 status meeting of the ACCWM (Advisory Committee for Cooperation on Wildlife Management). Délı̨nę has also been working to review the Belare Wı́le Gots'ę́ Ɂekwę́ plan in light of traditional knowledge and science regarding the status of Ɂehdaı̨la Ɂekwę́ (Bluenose East caribou). Please provide details about revisions to the hunting law parts of the plan, including: ɂekwę̨́ gha máhsı ts’ı̨nı̨we (ceremonial harvest); majority yárégo (male) harvest; and efforts to gain recognition of Délı̨nę's harvest law under the "alternative measures" clause of the Wildlife Act (Section 167). (SRRB)

Topic 3: Approaches to Wildlife Harvesting

IRs to All Parties

3.1 List three (or more) aspects of Indigenous country food systems and ways of life that most contribute to promoting caribou conservation. Do you have concerns about threats to these systems? (SRRB)

3.2 How are Indigenous country food systems changing? What impacts are these changes having on caribou? (SRRB)

Topic 4: Harvest Monitoring

IRs to All Parties

4.1 Harvest monitoring is recognized as a key component in effective harvest regulation. What is the most effective way to monitor caribou harvest in your experience? (SRRB)

4.2 Over the past year, Indigenous Guardian programs have come onto the national stage as part of Indigenous environmental governance systems. What role can Guardians play in harvest monitoring? (SRRB)

Topic 5: Participation, Education, Information

IRs to All Parties

5.1 Discussions among Member Boards of the Advisory Committee for Cooperation on Wildlife Management emphasize education and communication as priorities in achieving effective harvest regulation. What are your priorities for education and communication? (SRRB)

5.3 In its 2016 BNE Hearing Report, the SRRB found that that "there is strong consensus in the Sahtú Region that youth involvement is critical for the success of community ɂekwę́ [caribou] conservation plans." Describe your approach to involving youth in wildlife harvesting and harvest regulation. (SRRB)

5.4 What materials or websites do you recommend for review as relevant for consideration by the Parties related to the central question of the Public Listening Session? (SRRB). See the following linked documents provided.

• Délı̨nę’s Dene Béré Belare Wı̨́le Food Security Plan
• Indigenous Discussion Document and Calls to Action (North American Caribou Workshop 2018)
• Délı̨nę's Belare Wı́le Gots'ę́ Ɂekwę́ - Caribou for All Time plan (January 8, 2016 edition)

Topic 6: Aboriginal and Treaty Rights

IR to All Parties

6.1 All regions in the North with Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements conducted similarly designed Harvest Studies as a requirement of their claims and as an evidence base for protecting Indigenous harvesting rights. If you participated as a partner in a Harvest Study, what do you consider to be the current and future value of the study? If you are continuing to participate in Harvest Studies, are these differently designed? Are they being used differently? (SRRB)

Délı̨nę has provided responses to Round 2 Information Requests as follows:

Topic 1: Traditional Harvesting Practices

IRs to All Parties

1.1 Could you provide examples of traditional caribou conservation measures used in your community? (ENR)

1.2 Could you describe the traditional harvesting practices of your community as they relate to harvesting cows vs bulls or different age classes of animals throughout the year? (ENR)

Topic 2: Hunter Education

IRs to All Parties

2.1 During the collaborative drafting of the Wildlife Act, which included representatives from Aboriginal governments and wildlife co-management boards, it was heard that a hunter education course should be developed and made available to all hunters in the NWT. As of January 1, 2020, the course will be a legislated requirement for new hunters in the NWT. It is online, free and available now (www.enr.gov.nt.ca/en/services/hunter-education). Although Sahtú rights holders are exempt from the requirement to take the course, we previously heard a desire for Sahtú youth and new or inexperienced hunters to take the course. ENR can make these courses available in-person, would you be interested in this style of delivery?

Topic 4: Public Listening Process and Timelines

IR to All Parties

4.2 The SRRB recognizes that evaluation of each Public Listening Session and advance planning and scoping for future Sessions will support fulsome evidence gathering, fairness, and impactful decision-making. The Board hopes to launch Session 2 as early as possible in 2020. Please provide comments on the following preliminary draft timeline for Session 2, based on your experience with Colville 2020 Public Listening Session activities and timelines.

Délı̨nę's Dene Béré Belare Wı́le Food Security Plan is provided as a companion to Délı̨nę's Round 1 and Round 2 Information Request Responses.

Dene bere belarewlle is a 5-year program that will work towards the following objectives, as
detailed below:
1) Food for the Community - Deline Food Map and Calendar
2) Safe Places - Great Bear Lake Cabin and Safe Harbour Inventory
3) Alternative Harvest Knowledge Transfer
4) Growing Food in Deline
S} Training Young Harvesters in Deline
6) Learning on the land - Supporting transfer of knowledge through on-the ~land camps

The Ɂede 2019-2021 Interim Management Agreement and the Traditional Knowledge and Limited License Agreement is provided as a companion to Colville's Round 2 Information Request Responses, and is a response to question 3.2:

The Dehlá Got'ı̨nę Ɂǝdǝ Plan (October 21, 2019) recognizes the obligation under the Sahtú land claim agreement to provide harvesting data, and outlines how this will happen in Section 3.3 of the Plan. The Plan notes that provision of data would be in accordance with a Data Sharing Protocol with the SRRB and GNWT. Please share the Data Sharing Protocol for consideration by the Parties in assessing Colville’s commitment to providing harvesting data. (SRRB)

Colville has provided responses to the following seven Round 2 Information Requests. There is a supporting document provided for question - The “Ɂede 2019-2021 Interim Management Agreement and the Traditional Knowledge and Limited License Agreement.”

1.1    Could you provide examples of traditional caribou conservation measures used in your community? (ENR)

1.2   Could you describe the traditional harvesting practices of your community as they relate to harvesting cows vs bulls or different age classes of animals throughout the year? (ENR)

2.1   During the collaborative drafting of the Wildlife Act, which included representatives from Aboriginal governments and wildlife co-management boards, it was heard that a hunter education course should be developed and made available to all hunters in the NWT. As of January 1, 2020, the course will be a legislated requirement for new hunters in the NWT. It is online, free and available now (www.enr.gov.nt.ca/en/services/hunter-education). Although Sahtú rights holders are exempt from the requirement to take the course, we previously heard a desire for Sahtú youth and new or inexperienced hunters to take the course. ENR can make these courses available in-person, would you be interested in this style of delivery? (ENR)

3.1   As discussed in the SRRB’s 2016 Bluenose East Ɂekwę́ Hearing Report, community conservation plans are based on principles of self-regulation. These plans are means for communities to develop their own approaches to caribou conservation while recognizing the need for accountability and sharing across boundaries, as outlined in the Taking Care of Caribou plan for Cape Bathurst, Bluenose West and Bluenose East ɂǝdǝ/ɂekwę́ (barren-ground caribou) and associated Action Plans. However, Wildlife Management authorities from neighbouring regions have expressed concerns that to date, community conservation planning and self-regulation processes have not complied with the spirit and intent of cross-regional agreements for sharing harvest information, which are consistent with the obligation to collect and provide harvesting data outlined in the Sahtú Dene and Métis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (SDMCLCA)[1]. There is concern about lack of information on how harvest data is collected, leading to lack of confidence in the quality of the data. Please clarify how you plan to address these concerns. (SRRB)

3.2   The Dehlá Got'ı̨nę Ɂǝdǝ Plan (October 21, 2019) recognizes the obligation under the Sahtú land claim agreement to provide harvesting data, and outlines how this will happen in Section 3.3 of the Plan. The Plan notes that provision of data would be in accordance with a Data Sharing Protocol with the SRRB and GNWT. Please share the Data Sharing Protocol for consideration by the Parties in assessing Colville’s commitment to providing harvesting data. (SRRB)

4.1 & 4.2    In considering the capacity of the SRRB and the Parties, and the experience of preparing for the Colville 2020 Public Listening Session, do you support a revised timeline for Public Listening Sessions with only one Session per year, with a schedule to prepare for each Session in modest steps throughout the year, and completion of Reasons for Decision report by March 31? Please comment on the following timeline, topics and hosting communities, keeping in mind the benefits of holding sessions during winter road season to maximize participation:

• 2021 – Session 2: Knowledge of Caribou and Landscapes (Délı̨nę)
• 2022 – Session 3: Caribou and Predators (Fort Good Hope)
• 2023 – Session 4: Wildfires, Climate Change and Caribou Habitat (Tulı́t'a)
• 2024 – Session 5: The Sahtú Mixed Economy and Caribou Conservation (N. Wells)
• SRRB Final Wrap-up Hearing Report

The SRRB recognizes that evaluation of each Public Listening Session and advance planning and scoping for future Sessions will support fulsome evidence gathering, fairness, and impactful decision-making. The Board hopes to launch Session 2 as early as possible in 2020. Please provide comments on the following preliminary draft timeline for Session 2, based on your experience with Colville 2020 Public Listening Session activities and timelines.

[1] “Renewable Resources Councils shall participate in the collection and provision, to government and the Board, of local harvesting data and other locally available data respecting wildlife and wildlife habitat.” (SDMCLCA 13.9.6).