Photo by Whitehorse Star
RESPECT IS THE WORD – ‘We must all be respectful of the First Nation and Inuvialuit traditional territories we live, work and play on,’ Environment Minister Nils Clarke said in a statement late last week.
YG aware of ‘wildlife conservation concerns’
The Yukon government is aware of the Ross River Dena Council’s and Liard First Nation’s requests related to hunting in their traditional territories, Environment Minister Nils Clarke said last Friday.
The Yukon government is aware of the Ross River Dena Council’s and Liard First Nation’s requests related to hunting in their traditional territories, Environment Minister Nils Clarke said last Friday.
“The Government of the Liard First Nation continues to closely follow the impacts of Yukon Government-authorized hunting of moose and caribou in the southeast Yukon,” the First Nation has stated in recent notices it has also issued in past years. One is published in today’s Star.
“We are alarmed at those impacts in the Frances Lake, Frances River, the Liard River, the Alaska Highway and on the side roads of the Rancheria and the Nahanni Range Road areas.
“Because of the effects reported to LFN, we respectfully request that only hunters authorized by LFN hunt moose and caribou in the above-noted parts of Kaska territory in the Yukon.”
In a statement, the Yukon government noted the Wildlife Act guides the Yukon’s licensed hunters, and the rules of general application always apply. Licensed hunters do not require permission to hunt on non-settlement lands in any traditional territory, the government pointed out.
“Conservation officers are co-ordinating and collaborating with Liard First Nation’s Lands and Resources Department to ensure a respectful approach to hunting, fishing and trapping in the area and are reaching out to Ross River Dena Council to engage with their Lands Department to discuss a similar respectful approach to harvesting in their traditional territory,” the statement said.
Clarke said the government “is committed to working with First Nations and the Inuvialuit to address these complex wildlife conservation concerns.
“We share the priority of conserving wildlife species in the Yukon and take our responsibility of ensuring sustainable harvesting practices seriously.”
Conserving wildlife is a joint effort, he added.
“By taking a collaborative, government-to-government approach to our mutual commitment of conservation, we can better ensure access and enjoyment of wildlife for generations to come.
“We must all be respectful of the First Nation and Inuvialuit traditional territories we live, work and play on.
“We ask all licensed hunters in the Yukon to be aware that all areas where you hunt are in the traditional territory of a First Nation or the Inuvialuit.
“All hunters should be respectful of the land and incorporate responsible hunting practices during their hunt,” Clark concluded.
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Comments (31)
Up 3 Down 9
Spud 2 on Sep 12, 2022 at 3:29 pm
@Ignorance is Bliss
If you guys genuinely wanted to get educated then read a book. Google works as well, "Indigenous Issues". Try having some empathy while educating yourselves.
Letʼs ignore the entire history of colonial violence that is ongoing and focus on made up stories about Indigenous Peoples all of a sudden disrespecting the land and animals which has provided them the sustenance to survive here for millennia
Show the visual evidence and then letʼs look at all the visual evidence against White peopleʼs impact on the land, forget about Faro?
The echoing in the comments is loud
This isnʼt even about race either, itʼs about respecting other people, their land and the requests they have for others engaging with their land. Itʼs not that difficult or that big of a request. But everyone else here has to feel entitled.
Up 7 Down 6
Patti Eyre on Sep 12, 2022 at 9:53 am
Groucho North is right! all Aboriginal hunters hunt to excess and dangerously and without regard to the sanctity of life, no exception they are all the same! All hail Groucho's wisdom!
Up 5 Down 1
L-NDP Scrubs can’t get no love on Sep 10, 2022 at 6:46 pm
At Chuck Farley on Sep 10, 2022 at 8:53 am:
What would the L-NDP do with all that fuel they’ve stored for their gaslights? The L-NDP show no remorse for the harms they have committed against the commons.
Discuss ideas, not people. Principles before personalities.
CBC - The L-NDP mouthpiece for societal division - LOL! Again, discuss ideas, not people.
Can you refer me to one of my “rants” please? I have no clue what you are going on about… Perhaps that’s something we have in common… You don’t know what you’re going on about either?
Up 29 Down 6
Groucho d'North on Sep 10, 2022 at 10:34 am
@yēsk'ése
Before you rise in defence of aboriginal hunting practices and the scope of their harvests, you should be aware that there is photographic evidence of their hunting to excess. I have pictures taken in the Alligator Lake area from a few years ago showing 2 bulls 2 cows and 3 calves in an indiginous hunting camp. I know of others who also have visual evidence of this hunting excess. Or we can discuss the annual carnage the caribou suffer up on the Dempster.
Stewards of the land? Some are, but not all.
Up 5 Down 16
Chuck Farley on Sep 10, 2022 at 8:53 am
Discuss ideas not people on Sep 9, 2022 at 12:52 pm; that's b**l s**t and you know it; it's interesting in that right leaning media excluding the national post allows for fake names and allows hatred towards others and not have to be accountable. You try that with say CBC, CTV, WAPO your rants would be removed.
Up 21 Down 5
Wes on Sep 9, 2022 at 7:44 pm
Until such time as Yukon FN governments require that all their citizens report their harvest data, and this data is submitted to the Yukon government for use in wildlife management that benefits all Yukoners, their demands that licenses resident hunters not hunt in their traditional territory is ludicrous. There is literally no science based need being demonstrated. It’s all anecdotal at best.
Also, there is no legal requirement for licensed Yukon hunters to obtain written consent from First Nations who’s settlement “A” lands that person wishes to hunt on.
The Yukons population is growing and will keep doing so.
All levels of government in the Yukon need to get this sorted out ASAP.
Up 18 Down 5
Discuss ideas not people on Sep 9, 2022 at 12:52 pm
At Chuck Farley on Sep 9, 2022 at 12:02 pm:
The Star is unable to post racism. The Star allows for the discussion of ideas. Of course that is not allowed in L-NDP/Indigenous Dictatorships though… Right - Chuck you Farley!
Anonymity however allows for the discussion of ideas that dictatorships would rather squash - George Orwell knows!
Up 4 Down 23
Chuck Farley on Sep 9, 2022 at 12:02 pm
yēsk'ése Whitehorse Star in the name of free speech allows racist comments/observations which includes anonymity thus removing ridicule should their identity be exposed so take this with a grain of salt knowing the level of pathetic existence.
Up 27 Down 6
Groucho d'North on Sep 9, 2022 at 11:55 am
@Pierre
If you examine the maps closely you will find lots of overlap between the first nations claimed traditional territories, I recall at the time it was reported to be 120% or somesuch number of the land mass that was claimed. Also Kwanlin Dun didn't become a first nation until 1979 so how were those traditional lands identified?
Up 24 Down 6
Human Pride on Sep 9, 2022 at 11:11 am
At yēsk'ése on Sep 7, 2022 at 10:14 pm:
We are all tired of the anti-white, anti-colonialist, anti-anti-Indigenous rhetoric with its complete ‘whitewash’ of Indigenous histories. Everyone lies for their own benefit, even Indigenous peoples.
But now we have individuals who are unelected and unelectable by all the people (democracy) holding up progress that would benefit democracy - Perhaps we should allow non-Indigenous peoples to vote their choice of chief so we can have democratic representation in “all” our interests.
So tired of the anti-democratic, anti-non Indigenous hate speech that goes unchecked - Especially when it comes from “White Liberals”. The hypocrisy is thick, as is their thinking.
You cannot cut out the cancer of racism using the “blunt instruments” of the current political classes - This includes the Executive, and Judicial branches of government, especially the “Judicats”.
If we are going to default to Judge-Made Democracy then they too, like the Chiefs, should be voted in by a general election of “all” the people.
Up 30 Down 4
yukong on Sep 9, 2022 at 8:30 am
@spud
I'm glad you brought this up, because I always wondered. As a descendent of European refugees, I was born on this land, of this land. Where am I supposed to go?
Up 19 Down 6
Josey Wales on Sep 9, 2022 at 8:04 am
There is but one race, seems it’s the race to the bottom that interests most uninformed people?
The one race I refer to is the HUMAN race, the “others” are just means to a game of divide and conquer.
It is not a game, it is real, it gets played daily among our political blowholes at all levels and others who feel supremacy is the way to market it...the game...to them.
We all eat, we all bleed red, we all want some peace and security in our society.
Correction...not all but many seek these things, others are merchants of chaos and masters of deception.
Who one is may be very important to them, but not many others.
What is important is that all of us out here matter, to ourselves, our community and our future.
This Us and them bullshit is off the charts toxic, effective and is very very divisive.
Given that we live in a time when information good or bad can be digested by alleged thinking grown ups very quickly and often in real time...
Sure is a whole heap of stupid, narcissistic, willfully ignorant, opportunistic
backstabbers in positions of power.
That goes for the “white mans world” and the bloated tribal alleged leaders and sycophants sitting on council beating the drum.
Up 6 Down 29
yēsk'ése on Sep 9, 2022 at 7:41 am
General Citizen on Sep 8, 2022 at 1:28 pm
You are just straight out lying about seeing an LFN family killing 6 bisons! Where would they do that? Right by the Alaska Highway? Since that's where the bisons mostly hang out around here. Yeah, that would go unnoticed... That's ridiculous!
Up 31 Down 6
Be Quiet, Be Kind! on Sep 8, 2022 at 5:24 pm
At Spud 2 on Sep 8, 2022 at 4:25 pm:
We are well aware of the history prior to Canadiana. The First Peoples engaged in war for land and resources. They took slaves and committed atrocious acts of family violence by taking other Indigenous persons to replace their own lost family members etc.
Violence was celebrated and honoured in and between Indigenous groups so spare us the idealization of FN peoples. We are all on this earth together. We cannot go back. We can only move forward. Perhaps you should acknowledge your European lineage and be grateful that they came back to save you from the ravages of nature and the ravages of your own kind.
We are all products of violence: White, Brown, Red, Yellow, and Black.
Up 8 Down 57
Spud 2 on Sep 8, 2022 at 4:25 pm
I donʼt understand why a bunch of racists decide to move to where a bunch of Native Peoples live, why are you surprised. Itʼs in the anthem isnʼt it? Home and Native Land.
The ignorance is palpable, pick up a book and learn your countries history as well as the millennia of history that happened before this country existed.
Up 48 Down 7
General Citizen on Sep 8, 2022 at 1:28 pm
ALL First Nations/Indigenous persons SHOULD have to report or report to the band, make it mandatory reporting and then share the accurate data. Have watched one FIRST NATION Family (LFN) Kill 6 bison, and 4 ended up staying where they shot them because they spoiled before they could "harvest"........ time to pony up some real data and not hide what you don't want the public to really know.
Up 41 Down 8
Race is a social construction for adversarial purposes on Sep 8, 2022 at 12:29 pm
At yēsk'ése on Sep 7, 2022 at 10:14 pm:
Why is it that the people who favour disequitable realities never admit to their own racism? They like to imagine that the favour or preference given to one group is right and just regardless of the actual justness of the outcomes on others.
The exercise of your rights diminishes the rights of others when based on things like race, gender, sex etc. One law, one rule - Fair is the same! We need to bring people out of their racialized hidey-holes and deal with individuals and individual issues as they impact everyone!
Up 12 Down 46
Spud on Sep 8, 2022 at 11:20 am
You know the only thing that comes to mind when folks say FNs should go back to hunting with spears and bow and arrows, is, ok, I will do that, if you get on a boat and head back where you are from.
Up 11 Down 41
yēsk'ése on Sep 7, 2022 at 10:14 pm
Why are the comment sections of articles dealing with Indigenous people asserting their rights always such complete cesspools of tired racist clichés? (only a rhetorical question)
Up 41 Down 14
GEORGE on Sep 7, 2022 at 2:39 pm
Maybe time to put tolls on highways and user fees for hospitals, cause maybe if I can't offset my food bills with healthy wild game I prefer my taxes not be shared with everyone.
Up 24 Down 24
Bullwinkle on Sep 7, 2022 at 7:31 am
Sounds like bull to me Watson lake resident on Sep 6, 2022 at 4:09 pm:
With all those hunters vying for bull moose it seems unlikely that a cow moose would be able to get pregnant. Maybe the cow mooses/meese could develop in vitro fertilization protocols.
Let me interpret this for you because you have been warned, “We must all be respectful of the First Nation and Inuvialuit traditional territories we live, work and play on.”
We are working on a government to government proposal to eradicate all non-Indigenous hunting and fishing in the territory… Settle in and pick up your game of Wii Fish/Hunt complete with land acknowledgements and other debasements of the beneficiaries of colonialist regimes.
The game will come with free complimentary self-flagellation leathers… This will all be set out in the new Caucasian Act and supporting “Brown-Papers”.
Up 68 Down 13
Dallas on Sep 7, 2022 at 7:16 am
That’s right just continue to erode away White Yukoners rights and next thing it will be only natives allowed hunting….how about no one kills cows and everyone buys a tag and reports the kill and then the government will have a real picture about what’s going on. Outfitters and general tag holders are not the issue, ask a First Nation how many moose, sheep or caribou the members kill and you will be told it’s none of your business, how about stopping road hunting, how about wolf control programs, how about stop discriminating against Yukoners and drawing lines between First Nations and White people.
Up 47 Down 13
Pierre on Sep 7, 2022 at 7:12 am
Has anyone ever looked at the traditional territory map of all the First Nations? It’s the WHOLE territory. Not sure how they got around hundreds of years ago but they don’t travel to some of these places today yet they are considered “traditional territory”
Up 55 Down 13
A.S. on Sep 6, 2022 at 8:58 pm
Your ‘traditional territories’ are known as Canada now. Canada belongs to us all.
Up 13 Down 41
Patti Eyre on Sep 6, 2022 at 7:03 pm
Omg! After doing some research it is clear that these animals are being taken in the commercial killing sector! Rich Americans and Europeans are taking our animals, that is not right! I shall have to pray upon this dilemma.
Up 34 Down 8
Max Mack on Sep 6, 2022 at 6:22 pm
". . . only hunters authorized by LFN hunt moose and caribou . . ."
Simply wow.
Up 57 Down 11
JustSayin' on Sep 6, 2022 at 6:09 pm
Licensed hunters do not require permission to hunt on non-settlement lands in any traditional territory, the government pointed out.
LFN and Kaska have not settled land claims. If the Indigenous would hunt by the same regulations as the rest of ( colonizers) we may not have this problem.
I still maintain if the Indigenous want to hunt because it is their cultural rights, do it like it was done back in the day without ATV's, hunt without tech.
Up 62 Down 9
Sheepchaser on Sep 6, 2022 at 5:14 pm
Frankly, the data point that deafens most ears to this issue is the FN not providing a real accounting of their own kill numbers. Not as individual hunters, not as family groups and not as nations. You can find decades of records on resident hunter and guide activity in the area, but data on FN land use is a black hole. And no, no one is just going to take your word for it. Anyone who’s spent a significant measure of time in the backcountry knows that there can be a big disconnect between rhetoric and reality around resource ‘stewardship’.
Up 18 Down 36
Nathan Living on Sep 6, 2022 at 5:13 pm
I understand and appreciate Yukon First Nation concerns.
Let's sort this out.
Up 119 Down 12
Watson lake resident on Sep 6, 2022 at 4:09 pm
The hunting regulations should apply to first nations citizens as well. If the cows were not harvested there would be more moose. Cows can have a calf every year. Kill one cow you are killing many future moose.
Non first nations hunters are only taking bulls.... the killing of the cows is the problem.
Up 43 Down 15
Patti Eyre on Sep 6, 2022 at 4:07 pm
Out of curiosity I looked at one outfitter's webpage and the "menu" is 40K for a moose. wow!