Yellowknives Dene and federal government sign 3 agreements on Giant Mine apology and compensation

The Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) and government of Canada, have three new agreements outlining how the parties will move forward from the toxic legacy of the former Giant Mine. 

The mine, known to YKDFN members as Giant Monster, is responsible for over 237,000 tons of arsenic trioxide, and the contamination of the First Nation's traditional territories. 

The three agreements were announced Friday, making official the plans to both apologize and compensate the Yellowknives Dene for the mine's pollution. 

The Agreements

The new agreements include:

• The Collaborative Process Protocol Agreement, which "guides how Canada and YKDFN will work collaboratively to address the request for apology and compensation regarding the historical operation of the Giant Mine site," according to a press release from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. This agreement includes a commitment to consult YKDFN members on what an apology and compensation will look like exactly.  

• The Memorandum of Cooperation, describes how YKDFN and the government of Canada will address "environmental, economic and social priorities stemming from the legacy impacts of mining."

• The Community Benefits Agreement promises up to $20 million in funding over 10 years "to support capacity building" during throughout the Giant Mine remediation. The funding aims to support community-based monitoring for the site and training. It will finance a community economic development officer, a community liaison and technical officer positions as well as a land healing ceremony, the statement said.

An additional Procurement Framework Agreement, will be finalized in the coming months to ensure a common understanding of how Canada and the Yellowknives Dene will work together on procurement matters.

The Giant Mine was operational between 1948 and 2004. After decades of demanding government attention, the Yellowknives Dene recently amassed more than 30,000 signatures on a petition renewing calls for an apology and compensation. 

The N.W.T. MP presented the petition to the House of Commons earlier this year.

"When we met with members of parliament and ministers in Ottawa and told them the history of Giant Mine on the Yellowknives Dene and Canada's broken promises, many were hearing this for the first time," YKDFN Dettah Chief, Edward Sangris said. 

"After more than 70 years, we are finally starting to get our message through to Canada and see some reconciliation in action. This is the start, and not the end."