The Dene Nation public safety forum concluded with leadership resolutions for mobilizing plans to fortify public safety and community well-being amid what they call compounded challenges, including a drug crisis plaguing the territories. The meeting saw several key resolutions directed at addressing public safety concerns and enhancing the well-being of Dene communities across Denendeh.
“The meeting, a testament to our unity and collaborative spirit, brought together Dene leaders, community representatives, and stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue and develop strategies to tackle the challenges faced by our communities,” said the Dene Nation in an announcement issued on Thursday.
Some of the resolutions that came forward were the establishment of a Dene Nation Taskforce on drugs, alcohol, and community crime prevention. Dene National Chief George Mackenzie said a task force would act to advocate, organize and mobilize community safety planning, including crime prevention.
Another resolution that came forward was the development of a Dene-led Indigenous Policing Program in the NWT. Leadership said that this would be a critical approach in empowering the community and allowing for active participation in decision-making processes.
Dene National Chief George Mackenzie, who is also the AFN-NT Regional Chief, led the forum aimed at collectively discussing innovative solutions to the tremendous obstacles the communities are facing. Together, leadership and community members from Dene communities across Denendeh focused on planning ways to combat the challenges of drugs, alcohol, and crime. Chief Mackenzie emphasized that leadership is dedication to building and strengthening environments where everyone can live in safe, healthy, and vibrant communities.
“Our shared vision is one of action, resilience, and healing, ensuring that the voices of our Elders, youth, and all community members are at the forefront of this critical matter,” said Dene National Chief Mackenzie.
“We are all touched,” said Chief Elizabeth Wright of the Teetl’it Gwich’in band council in Fort McPherson, who spoke of the ways families and communities have been affected.
Sahtu Grand Chief Wilbert Kochon spoke about the dangers that youth in the community are facing. Grand Chief Kochon said that hearing the stories from youth “really hit home” for him
“What I feel, what our young people are going through, when he heard some of their stories in our meeting, it literally hit home for me because the real things that are happening, they were talking about it, you can’t imagine what they’re going through,” he said.
Grand Chief Kochon expressed concerns about seeing more illegal substances coming into communities across the territories.
“Right now we see more illegal stuff coming in, killing more of our young people,” he said.
The evening before, on May 7, a public health advisory was announced after lab health testing showed that a dangerous substance not seen before in N.W.T. had caused an extremely dangerous reaction and seizure back in March.
Grand Chief Kochon said that he supports the resolutions and has already begun planning a task force in the Sahtu community. Chief Kochon said he hopes to continue to work and support surrounding communities as well.
He urged all community members to engage with leadership and utilize leadership as much as possible.
Dehcho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian called on leadership, Elders and all community members to work together to combat the crisis.
“I’m hoping that people in our communities are listening to us. And understand that we are doing everything we can to deal with a crisis that we’ve been faced with. And we ourselves can’t do it alone. We need your help in the community to help us. So we can work on this together,” urged Chief Norwegian.
Community members expressed concerns for youth and a need to find ways to bridge gaps that put them at risk.
“With a young mind, they don’t understand and know all of our spiritual, traditional cultural ways yet. And that’s where young people fall in those tracks,” she warned. She spoke about the ways that youth, who have seen ties to their culture broken, are especially at risk amid the economic crisis in the region.
“This can pressure youth,” she said, and people who are involved in the drug trade take advantage of that as a way to control them.
“Especially in the isolated communities, when they don’t have the full support or access to services, it puts them in a vulnerable situation,” she added.
Resolutions on critical areas of policing, community safety, and harm reduction were unanimously passed at the Dene Nation Leadership Meeting.
“These resolutions reflect our commitment to fostering safer, healthier communities while upholding the rights and interests of the Dene Nation,” said the Dene Nation in an announcement released on the final day of the forum.
A key discussion at the meeting examined policing contracts with the RCMP in the Northwest Territories. The Dene Nation said that these policing contracts “govern the relationship” between the territorial government and the RCMP and “significantly affect” the dynamics of policing services in Dene communities.
“These contracts, which govern the relationship between the territorial government and the RCMP, significantly affect how policing services are delivered in our communities,” said Chief Mackenzie.
During the forum, Chiefs, Elders and community members discussed their concerns regarding the challenges of contractual obligations between the territorial governments and the RCMP. Dene Nation leadership said that limitations imposed within these contracts often get in the way of the RCMP’s ability to respond to the unique needs of their communities.
“Police inaction on known drug houses and inadequate searches at road checkpoints were highlighted as significant threats to community safety. The potential for community banishment as a form of accountability underscores the urgency for decisive action to reclaim safety and ensure accountability,” said Dene Nation leadership.
Dene leadership are looking to create a more holistic, community-based approach to policing that acknowledges cultural and traditional values as well as sovereignty.
“The meeting emphasized the need for a more effective, responsive, and community-oriented approach to policing that addresses the root causes of these pressing issues while respecting the voices and sovereignty of our communities. It was noted that these contracts are frequently renewed without adequate consultation with Indigenous leaders, denying us the opportunity to voice our experiences and expectations surrounding law enforcement,” said Dene Nation leadership.
Leaders and community members spoke about the absence of community-focused and Indigenous policing initiatives in the wake of their loss.
“These programs, which fostered collaboration between police and community members, have been dismantled or neglected over the years. This has deprived us of local engagement in policing, which is essential for building trust and understanding,” said leadership in an announcement on May 9.
They said that the loss of these initiatives has created a tremendous obstacle in their ability to respond effectively to community safety and well-being.
Leadership emphasized a goal to ensure every voice is heard in the collective decision-making and planning for how safety infrastructure, like policing, can best serve communities in a dynamic and respectful way.
“As we examine these contracts and their implications, we must listen to the voices of our communities and advocate for change. We must work together to ensure these agreements acknowledge our communities historically and culturally. We have the right to demand a policing framework that reflects our needs, values, and priorities,” said Dene Nation leadership.
Dene Nation leadership also emphasized the importance of continued discussions and collective organizing to strengthen a collective voice.
“The Dene Nation Leadership Meeting has set the stage for ongoing dialogue and collaboration to develop a policing model that is responsive and accountable to our communities. We are committed to ensuring our voices remain loud and clear when advocating for a safer and more just future for all Dene people, instilling a sense of reassurance and hope in our collective efforts.”
The Dene Nation leadership meeting took place from May 6 to 8 at the Chateau Nova Hotel in Yellowknife.
