Glossary

Aboriginal People(s): Group name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. There are three groups of Aboriginal peoples: First Nations, Métis and Inuit. They each have unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

Aboriginal Rights: Rights that some Aboriginal peoples of Canada hold as a result of their ancestors' long-standing land use and occupancy. The rights of certain Aboriginal peoples to hunt, trap and fish on ancestral lands are examples of Aboriginal rights.

Accommodate: Legal term meaning to make adjustments.

Arsenic: Basic chemical element, (symbol: As), which can combine with other elements to form various compounds. Arsenic is classified as a "metalloid" element, which means that it has some of the characteristics of both metal and non-metal elements.  In its pure elemental form, arsenic is a steel grey, very brittle, crystalline solid. However, arsenic is usually found in nature combined with other elements in the form of mineral compounds, of which, arsenopyrite (FeAsS) is the most common.  Arsenic tarnishes easily when exposed to air, and when heated, is rapidly oxidized to form arsenic trioxide (As2O3).

Arsenic trioxide Compound (symbol: As2O3 ) in which two atoms of arsenic are combined with three atoms of oxygen. Pure arsenic trioxide is a white powder. Arsenic Trioxide is rarely found in nature; it is usually formed in industrial processes, such as the smelting of metal ores.

Arsenopyrite: See “Arsenic”.

Band: Group of Registered Indians (First Nation individuals) that has its own chief and band council. A band may also be referred to as a First Nation.

Band Council: Governing body of a band made up of a chief and councillors who are elected for terms of two or more years to carry out band business, such as develop by-laws and administer community businesses and services.  

Base Metals: Non-precious metals like lead, zinc, copper, nickel, or tungsten.

Bill C-31: Important changes were made to Canada's Indian Act on June 28, 1985, when Parliament (the Government of Canada) passed Bill C-31, an Act to Amend the Indian Act. Bill C-31 brought the Act into line with the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The three principles that guided the amendments to the Indian Act were:

• Removal of discrimination
• Restoring status and membership rights
• Increasing control of Indian bands over their own affairs

Bioaccumulation: Contaminant levels built up over time, that are stored in an animal's fat.

Biomagnification: Amount of contaminants that increases at each step of the food chain. As predators eat prey, the concentration of contaminants magnifies.

Common Law: Law that has developed from past and present decisions made by the courts/judges.

Constitution: Basic laws by which a nation, people or group organize and govern themselves.

Crown: An alternate name for the Government of Canada. The Queen is the formal head of state in Canada. For this reason the Government of Canada is often called the “Crown.”

Custom Adoption: Privately-arranged adoption between two Aboriginal families. There are no social workers or lawyers involved in a custom adoption.

Economy: Activities related to producing and distributing goods and services in a particular geographic region.

Environmental Impact: Any effect on land, water, air or any other component of the environment, as well as on wildlife harvesting, and includes any effect on the social and cultural environment or on heritage resources.   

Environmental Assessment: Process that determines how an activity will affect the environment.  It is a tool used by decision makers to help them make informed judgments when evaluating proposed projects.

Exploration Licence: Gives a company the exclusive right to explore, drill, and test for oil and gas, develop land for petroleum production and obtain a production licence on Crown land. INAC issues exploration licences.

Federal Government: Level of government that deals with decisions and laws that affect the whole country. In Canada, the Government of Canada is the federal government.

First Nation: Aboriginal People in Canada who are not Inuit or Métis.  Communities and individuals registered as First Nations or “Registered Indians” are entitled to certain benefits under the Indian Act.

Geoscience: Any one of the sciences, such as geology or geochemistry, that deals with the earth. Geoscience data is often collected and used in the Northwest Territories to determine if an area is suitable for the development of oil and gas resources.

Hydrocarbons: Chemical compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon. All petroleum-based products, such as fuels, oil and grease. It is used at mine sites for heating, power generation and vehicles. If these products are not handled or stored properly, there can be leaks and spills, which contaminate soil and water.

Indian: Person registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act.

Indian Act: Federal legislation first passed in Canada in 1876 that sets out, amongst other things, the rules for determining Indian status, membership in a band and the management of Indian moneys, reserve lands, and resources. 

Indian Status: Term commonly applied to a person who is registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.

Indigenous: Means “native to the area.” In this sense, Aboriginal people are indeed indigenous to North America.

Inuvialuit: Inuit and Gwich'in people who live in the Canadian Arctic, who speak Inuvialuktun. Their homeland is located in Canada's Northwest Territories. The word “Inuvialuit” means “the real people” in Inuvialuktun.

Inuit: Aboriginal people of Arctic Canada who live primarily in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and northern parts of Labrador and Quebec. The word “Inuit” means “the people” in Inuktitut.

Land Claim: Agreement that describes who owns the land and the use of its resources.

Land Use Permit: Type of documented consent  allowing a company or individual  to use a specific portion of land for specific activities.

Land Use Plan: Plan that identifies different areas of land for specific uses. It describes what activities are permitted – and which activities are not permitted – in those specified areas. A land use plan describes the rules on how people can use land so the environment and its natural resources are not harmed.

Métis: People of both Aboriginal and European descent. Métis live in all areas of Canada and may speak French, English or an Aboriginal language.

Mineral: Natural substance — such as coal, diamonds and salt — that is mined from the Earth because of its usefulness.

National Energy Board (NEB): Independent federal agency that regulates aspects of the oil, gas, and electric utility industries for Canada. The National Energy Board promotes safety, environmental protection, and economic efficiency in the interest of the Canadian public in its regulation of pipelines, energy development and trade.

Natural Resource: Something, such as a forest, a mineral deposit, or fresh water, that is found in nature and is necessary or useful to humans and has economic value.

Negotiate: To work something out (with another person or a group of people) in order to come to terms or reach an agreement.

Northerner(s): Person or persons living in one of Canada's three northern territories - Northwest Territories, Nunavut, or Yukon.

Nunavut: Territory created in northern Canada on April 1, 1999 when the former Northwest Territories was divided in two. Nunavut means “our land” in Inuktitut language. Inuit, whose ancestors inhabited these lands for thousands of years, make up 85 percent of the population of Nunavut.

Ore: Naturally occurring solid material from which metal or other valuable minerals may be extracted.  Any rock that can be mined for a profit.

Permafrost: Subsoil which remains frozen throughout the year as in polar regions.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Group of man-made chemicals that were once used in electrical equipment and things industrial processes until research found they were harmful to humans, wildlife, and the environment.

Precious Metals: Relatively scarce, highly corrosion-resistant, valuable metals. Gold, silver and platinum are examples of precious metals.

Production Licence: Licence that defines the area to be developed and is for 25-year term.

Reclamation: Process of returning a disturbed site to its natural state, or to a state for other productive uses, that prevents environmental impacts or threats to human health and safety.

Remediation: To remove, reduce, or neutralize substances, waste or hazardous material from a site to prevent or minimize harm to the environment or public safety. In general, it means to clean-up a contaminated site.

Reserve: Area of land that is set apart for the use and benefit of an Indian band. Some bands have more than one reserve.  Many First Nations now use the term “First Nation Community.” Reserves are not common in the NWT – there are only two.

Resource Development: Includes all geological, engineering and economic work necessary to ensure profitable mining and compliance with applicable laws. Resource development can range from mineral prospecting or drilling for petroleum, to building a mine or pipeline.

Self-Government: Negotiated arrangements that give Aboriginal people greater control over their own affairs, in areas such as health care, child welfare, education, housing, and economic development. The Government of Canada recognizes that Aboriginal peoples have an “inherent right of self-government” and has committed to negotiating self-government agreements with Aboriginal peoples.

Significant Discovery Licence: Licence issued by INAC covering the area of the discovery and providing open-ended ownership to the discovery. 

Status: See “Indian Status”

Status Indian: Also means a Registered Indian.

Stope: Large underground open space or cavity left after ore has been mined out.

Tailings: Material rejected from a mill after most of the valuable minerals have been extracted.

Tailings Pond: Confined area of water used to keep mine tailings. Its main function is to allow enough time for heavy metals to settle out, or for toxins to be destroyed before water is put back into the local water system. It may also be used to store mine process water.

Traditional Knowledge: Knowledge, innovations and practices of Aboriginal people and local communities.

Treaty (Treaties):  Formal agreement(s) between certain Aboriginal peoples and the Government of Canada.

Treaty 8: Treaty 8 was signed in 1899 with Cree, Beaver, Chipewyan and other Indians inhabiting what is now northern Alberta, south-western NWT, northern Saskatchewan, and north-eastern British Columbia.

Treaty 11: Treaty 11 was signed with “Slave, Dogrib, Loucheux, Hare and other Indians” of the NWT in 1921. It covers land north of Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean.

Treaty Rights: Rights specified in a treaty.

Tribal Council: Organization established by a number of First Nations with common interests who voluntarily join together to provide advisory and/or program services to member First Nations.

Water licence: Licence allowing someone to use surface or ground water for certain activities.