Concluding and Implementing Land Claim and Self-Government Agreements

Akaitcho Dene First Nations

Negotiation Type 

Land, Resources, and Self-government Agreement

Negotiation Parties

  • Akaitcho Dene First Nations (ADFN)
  • Government of Canada
  • Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) 

Map of the Asserted Territory

Overview

The Akaitcho Dene First Nations (ADFN), the GNWT and Government of Canada (Canada) are negotiating an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) on land, resources and self-government. The parties signed a Framework Agreement on July 25, 2000 in Deninu K'ue (Fort Resolution). The Framework Agreement lists the subjects for negotiation and describes how the parties will negotiate an Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) and Final Agreement. Formal negotiations towards an Akaitcho AIP began in September 2001.

An Interim Measures Agreement was signed on June 28, 2001, which provides for a “pre-screening” process that allows the ADFN the opportunity to review applications for certain licenses, permits and dispositions of land. In November 2005 an Interim Land Withdrawal Protocol was concluded. On November 2, 2006, the GNWT and the ADFN reached an agreement on the interim land withdrawal of 1,034 hectares of Commissioner’s land in the City of Yellowknife. On November 21, 2007, Canada and the ADFN reached an agreement for the interim land withdrawal of 62,000 km2 of Federal Crown land (now Territorial lands) within the ADFN's asserted traditional territory.

Frequently Asked Questions
 

1. Who are the Akaitcho Dene First Nations?
The ADFN represents Dene people who are indigenous to Dettah, Ndilo, Łutselk’e and Fort Resolution.

2. Who are the parties involved in the negotiations?
The ADFN, the Government of Canada and the GNWT. Akaitcho Dene First Nations is the representative body of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (Dettah and Ndilo), Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation, and Deninu K’ue First Nation.

3. Why are the parties negotiating?
The objective of Akaitcho Process negotiations is to clarify rights and to provide clarity and certainty with respect to ADFN’s land, resources and self-government rights in the Northwest Territories.

4. What are the Akaitcho Process negotiations about? What are the next steps for the Akaitcho Process negotiations?
The ADFN, Canada and the GNWT are engaged in negotiations with respect to land, resources and self-government. The next step for Akaitcho Process negotiations is to complete an AIP.