Justice Thomas Berger Created a Model for Consultation and Respect
INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
Community hearing for the Berger Inquiry in Nahanni Butte. Photo Credit: Patrick Scott
Ottawa : Friday, April 30, 2021 : Senior Leaders of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative are saddened by the passing of Justice Thomas Berger. Berger led a life dedicated to public service as a Member of Parliament, Member of the Legislative Assembly, champion of human rights, and leader in securing recognition of Indigenous title to the land.
ILI leaders made the following statements:
Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew
“Justice Berger gave this country an example of what respectful consultation looks like. I first met him during the Berger Inquiry and saw how hard he worked to ensure everyone was heard. He traveled by boat to outpost camps and came to Tuktoyaktuk in the winter. He went where Indigenous Peoples were instead of making them go to him. And then he provided translators, invited Elders, and removed barriers to access. He empowered people by creating a venue to speak and be heard.”
Justice Thomas Berger. Photo credit: Patrick Scott
“Justice Berger’s focus on consultation supports the work of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative. He fundamentally recognized the value of gathering input and listening to people’s voices. That is the root of Indigenous-led conservation and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas. It is all about reflecting the aspirations and leadership of Indigenous Peoples on the land.”
Dave Porter, CEO of the First Nations Energy and Mining Council
“The Berger Report had a significant impact on the conservation of lands in the North. Justice Berger recommended establishing several parks and protected areas as a result of what he heard Indigenous Peoples calling for. The Indigenous Leadership Initiative and our partners continue that work today.”
“The inquiry contributed to the awakening of the political consciousness of Indigenous Peoples in the North. It created a forum that the entire country was witness to via radio and television coverage. It delivered a sizable blow to the colonial form of government that existed in the Northwest Territories at the time.”
Elder Antoine Liske, Peter Liske, and Joe Tobie at a community hearing. Photo credit: Patrick Scott
