Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 Dene First Nations lawyer Larry Innes discusses the ramifications of the Environment and Natural Resources investigation of the Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 First Nation camp last September and how a path forward may be forged.
Cassandra Blondin-Burt (CBB): Do you think that Environment and Natural Resources Minister Shane Thompson is avoiding the elephant in the room by focusing on narratives based around SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 really do much wrong?SA国际影视传媒� It seems to me that not only does this create a dangerous illusion, but it actually creates more potential division for the Indigenous, and non-Indigenous residents of our territory because youSA国际影视传媒檇 have to have a significantly nuanced understanding of territorial and historical context to understand the emotional upheaval and trauma this causes our communities.
Larry Innes (LI): He is very much framing this SA国际影视传媒� his underlying argument is SA国际影视传媒淚 have an end, which is that SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 trying to protect the caribou and in pursuit in that end ISA国际影视传媒檓 justified, and my officers are justified in using any means necessary to accomplish that goal,SA国际影视传媒� and maybe that is how the minister is seeing this, but that is not what our law allows. Our lawSA国际影视传媒檚 very conscious. And this is the whole history of both Indigenous rights and charter rights, which is that the all-powerful state, when unchecked, will create all sorts of injustice for individuals and for communities. And certainly Indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories know this all too well SA国际影视传媒� the history of colonization SA国际影视传媒� which is that, from the mind of the colonizer, and this is simply a furthering of this thinking, which is, SA国际影视传媒淣o, this is going to be good for you, weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to keep the caribou by traumatizing your children and your Elders.
Clearly itSA国际影视传媒檚 that last part that is out of their mind, but is really a part of the colonial mentality where you exclude the inconvenience of your colonial agenda by just minimizing or just alienating, or othering, those experiences. These communities are so complex. This is what I love about Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈 SA国际影视传媒� they are bouncing back and saying, you did wrong to us, now we are going to tell you A) why we think itSA国际影视传媒檚 wrong and B) how to reconcile. And this is really how the chief is framing it, which is, SA国际影视传媒淢inister, letSA国际影视传媒檚 begin with an apology, letSA国际影视传媒檚 begin with a moment of recognition. You overstepped lines that your courts have drawn, but what are we going to do about it?SA国际影视传媒�
CBB: You know I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 think in these terms, Larry, but this SA国际影视传媒� the chief offering this olive branch SA国际影视传媒� is an act of restorative justice on a nation-to-nation level, which really exemplifies Dene law: sharing, caring, and respect, which I think apply, clearly, here within political spheres.
LI: And pointing out that this is from an Indigenous legal order perspective SA国际影视传媒� that Dene Law kind of response SA国际影视传媒� you know, itSA国际影视传媒檚 weird for me as a Western-trained lawyer. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just so obvious, that in response, we offer to educate you, to help you understand, and we need to help you get things right. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 such a transition, itSA国际影视传媒檚 such a jarring transition, that it really needs to be emphasized.SA国际影视传媒�
CBB: Because offering means for amelioration, it is an act of legal and political generosity and diplomacy that I think is often overlooked, correct?
LI: Oh, absolutely, yes. It is all of those things. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 true statespersonship. This is not the first time this has happened, this is something which happened before. And why it hurts so much now is that we thought that was behind us. You know? They thought that their kids would be safe from this. Here it is again.
