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DENINU K'UE/FORT RESOLUTION
Mining company De Beers Canada and Deninu Ku'e First Nation (DKFN) of Fort Resolution have signed a traditional knowledge study agreement.

Chief Louis Balsillie of Deninu Ku'e First Nation and Cathie Bolstad, director of external and corporate affairs with De Beers Canada, sign an agreement on March 28 for gathering and sharing traditional knowledge on land use in the area of the proposed Gahcho Kue diamond mine. - photo courtesy of De Beers Canada

Under the deal, DKFN will gather and share information band members have regarding traditional knowledge and land use in the area of the company's proposed Gahcho Kue diamond mine, 280 km northeast of Yellowknife.

The agreement was signed in Fort Resolution on March 28.

Chief Louis Balsillie noted De Beers will be funding all of the $175,000 required for the study.

Balsillie said the study is very important for his First Nation, particularly regarding the possibility of creating an impact benefit agreement (IBA) with De Beers.

"It allows us to talk with De Beers and hopefully end up with an IBA for our people," he said, adding DKFN members have historically used and still hunt and trap in the area of the Gahcho Kue project, about 360 km north of Fort Resolution.

The study is going to acknowledge band members being in that region of the Barrenlands.

"We have our foot in the door it seems like. At least we're in talks and it sounds like they're listening. From where we were before to where we are today, we've moved up quite a bit," Balsillie said.

The study has commenced and will include reviewing historical documents, interviews and reports, as well as conducting new interviews and meetings with those holding traditional knowledge of the Gahcho Kue project area.

Vancouver anthropologist Linda Vanden Berg of Vanden Berg and Associates is leading the study.

The information will be presented to De Beers in a final report, which will be prepared in accordance with the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board's guidelines for incorporating traditional knowledge in the environmental impact assessment process.

"The Deninu Ku'e First Nation is in a unique position to share our traditional knowledge of the project area and the surrounding area," said Balsillie.

"We are pleased that De Beers has agreed to work with us so that we can incorporate our knowledge of the Gahcho Kue project area as evidence to be considered in the environmental impact review."

The study is scheduled for completion in early November. Once approved for release to De Beers by the DKFN chief and council, De Beers will review the study to assess and validate impact predictions for the diamond project.

"This is an important project for the Deninu Ku'e First Nation and for us," said Cathie Bolstad, De Beers Canada's director of external and corporate affairs, who was in Fort Resolution to sign the agreement. "Indigenous understanding of the project area will be enhanced with the information from their elders and harvesters. We look forward to reading their report and growing our own understanding of the Deninu Ku'e First Nation, their history and their unique knowledge as it relates to the proposed Gahcho Kue project area."

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