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Transcript

National Indigenous News September 10 · National Indigenous Newscasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: This is a look at your National Indigenous News.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Daryl Stranger.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: The federal government has halted the process to recognize a controversial Labrador group which self-describes as Southern Inuit as holding indigenous rights.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: The Nunatukavut Community Council, or NCC, represents roughly 6,000 people in central and southern Labrador and has been fighting for years for land, hunting, and fishing rights despite not being recognized by other indigenous organizations and communities.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: The question of which communities Ottawa recognizes as indigenous has implications not only for First Nations Inuit and Metis people, but also affects billions of dollars worth of federal funding and access to other government programs.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: The NCC styled themselves as Southern Inuit and have referred to their organization as Metis in the past.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the group had entered into the process to gain treaty rights under Section 35 of the Constitution Act.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: A spokesperson for the Department of Crown and Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada confirmed the government has halted that process.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: The department said their rejection of NCC's claim to Section 35 rights included updated submissions, internal historical and legal analysis, expert reviews, and discussions with the group.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: In a statement Wednesday, Inuit Tapuri Kanatami, a national group representing Inuit communities, called the NCC a fraudulent collective that undermines and diverts funding away from Inuit people and communities.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: The federal government's decision was also welcomed by the Nunatsuvout government, a group representing Inuit peoples living in Labrador.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: A section of land on the banks of the Peace River in northeastern BC, sought by Duncan's First Nation for a cultural revitalization center, could end up submerged under a BC Hydro reservoir if a proposed fourth dam moves forward.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: A spokesperson for BC Hydro said the Crown Corporation is aware of the nation's application to the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship to lease the land for cultural use.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: They said consultation with First Nations will continue as feasibility work advances.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Duncan's First Nation is part of Treaty 8, located in northern Alberta, more than 200 kilometers east of where the Site E project is proposed.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: The nation is seeking to lease roughly 30 hectares of land next to Blackfoot Regional Park through a Crown Land Tenure Agreement.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: The application says the nation would like to host traditional knowledge sharing, cultural gatherings, and ceremonies, along with career and life skills training for their members.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: The proposed cultural center would be created in phases, starting with seasonal cultural camps, adding campground infrastructure and field trails before building a permanent building that could be used year-round.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: According to the application, the land sought was historically used by Duncan's First Nation.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: However, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says the section was never sought as a land claim, only as a leased tenure.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: A public comment period on Duncan's First Nations application has been extended to September 30th by the Ministry to give the public more time to provide feedback.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: No decision has been made by the Ministry and the application remains under review.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: The federal government announced a$405 million investment this week into the Mackenzie Valley Highway that it says will be transformational for people living in the region.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: The Mackenzie Valley Highway, an all-season road that would connect the last stretch of Highway 1 at Wrigley to the Dempster Highway in Anuvik, has been deemed a project of national interest.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: The road would reduce reliance on seasonal transportation of barges and winter roads and has been poised as a project that supports national defense.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: The funding will help to build a bridge across Great Bear River near Toledo, the second phase of the Prohibition Creek Access Road, and preliminary engineering and design for two additional bridges over the Leard and Mackenzie Rivers.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: The money will also help finalize the environmental assessment and design for the stretch of road between Wrigley and Norman Wells.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: Groundwork, quarry preparation, and gravel work will happen over the winter while the government procures a contractor for the bridge.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: The territory is working with communities to plan for a possible rise in drugs and alcohol and emergency services that may come with highway access.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: The federal government recognized the$405 million would not be enough for the full project, but said they want to fund the next phase of the highway as soon as possible.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Construction is expected to start in early July of 2027.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: That's a look at your National Indigenous News.