ABSTRACT
The mining sector has played a dominant role in the expansion of the economy of the Northwest Territories (NWT) and the promotion of the development of infrastructure to fuel growth of communities. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements (or modern treaties) are constitutionally protected agreements defining the relationship between Aboriginal signatories, the Government of Canada and in some cases a province or territory. Despite the importance of these agreements in natural resource-rich parts of northern Canada, little is known about the way they shape the relationship between Aboriginal signatories and mining companies.
Drawing on the analysis of government documents, a critical review of the academic literature and some semi-structured interviews, this case study examines the ways in which the Tłı̨chǫ Comprehensive Agreement has helped shape the relationship between the Tłı̨chǫ people and the diamond mining industry in the Northwest Territories. In the normally contested space of mineral extraction on Indigenous lands, this chapter examines how the two interrelated processes of the delegation of governance duties by the Canadian government to industry through impact benefit agreements and the concomitant evolution of corporate social responsibilities have impacted the governance power dynamics between the Tłı̨chǫ and the diamond mining industry.
