Sahtu Land Claims 

Sahtu Dene & Metis Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement

Volume 1	Volume 2
	Volume 2 - Amended

In July 1993, the Sahtú Dene and Metis approved the Sahtú Dene Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement, which wa subsequently approved by the government of Canada and the Northwest Territories an signed on September 6, 1993 in Tulit'a (formerly Fort Norman). The Sahtú Dene and Metis Land Claim Settlement Act came into effect on June 23, 1994. The Sahtu Land Claim can be access here.

Features:
The agreement provides the Sahtú Dene and Metis with title to 41,437 square kilometres of land in the Northwest Territories, an area slightly larger than Vancouver Island. Subsurface rights are included on 1,813 square kilometres of this land.

In addition, the Sahtú Dene and Metis will, over a 15-year period, receive financial
payments of $75 million (in 1990 dollars) and share the resource royalties paid to
governments each year in the Mackenzie Valley.

The Agreement confirms hunting and fishing rights of the Sahtú Dene and Metis
throughout the Sahtú Settlement Area (SSA), and establishes their exclusive trapping
rights.

The agreement guarantees the Sahtú Dene and Metis participation in institutions of public government for renewable resource management, land use planning and land and water use in the SSA, and participation in environmental impact assessment and review in the Mackenzie Valley.

The agreement also provides for negotiation of self-government agreements that will be brought into effect through federal and/or territorial legislation.

Comprehensive Land Claim Objectives

The Sahtú Dene and Metis and Canada negotiated this agreement to achieve these
objectives to:

• Provide for certainty and clarity of rights to ownership and use of land and
  resources;
• Provide the specific rights and benefits in this agreement in exchange for the
  relinquishment by the Sahtú Dene Metis of certain rights claimed in any part of
  Canada by treaty or otherwise;
• Recognize and encourage the way of life of the Sahtú Dene and Metis which is
  based on the cultural and economic relationship between them and the land;
• Encourage the self-sufficiency of the Sahtú Dene and Metis and to enhance their
  ability to participate fully in all aspects of the economy;
• Provide the Sahtú Dene and Metis with specific benefits, including financial
  compensation, land and other economic benefits;
• Provide the Sahtú Dene and Metis with wildlife harvesting rights an the right to
  participate in decision making concerning wildlife harvesting and management;
• Provide the Sahtu Dene and Metis the right to participate in decision making
  concerning the use, management and conservation of land, water and resources;
• Protect and conserve the wildlife and environment of the settlement area for
  present and future generations; and
• Ensure the Sahtú Dene and Metis the opportunity to negotiate self-government
  agreements.