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October 16, 2020

Jody Pellissey, Executive Director Wek'eezhli Renewable Resources Board

102 A 4504 49th A venue Yellowknife, NT XIA 1A7

E-mail: <jpellissey@wrrb.ca>

Sent via e-mail

Re: 2021-2024 Diga Revised Joint Management Proposal

Dear Jody Pellissey,

The Dehq~ Renewable Resources Council (DRRC) has concerns regarding the joint proposal by Environmental and Natural Resources (ENR) and TljchQ Government (TG) entitled "Revised Joint Proposal on Management Actions for Wolves (diga) on the Bathurst and Bluenose-East Barren-ground Caribou (nkwr;,) Herd Winter Ranges: 2021 -2024."

For many years now, Dehq~ and other Sahtu communities have been expressing their concerns regarding diga (wolf) culls to ENR and co-management bodies including the Sahtu Renwable Resources Board (SRRB) and the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board (WRRB). At the 2016 SRRB hearing on Bluenose East, Elders from all 5 Sahtu communities described the important relationship between diga and 1ekw~ (caribou). The Elders explained that the diga keep the 1ekwlr populations healthy, that killing all the diga might actually wipe out the 1ekw~. and that the diga must be respected. This relationship is also described in Dehqfs Belarew1 ie Gots'~ 7ekw~, or caribou conservation plan, which was formally approved as a community conservation plan by the SRRB and was accepted and endorsed by the Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources in 2016.

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## Deline Renewable Resource Council

P.O Box 156 Deline, NT X0E0G0

Ph: (867) 589-4224 Fax: (867) 589-4230

drrc <manager@gov.deline.ca>

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## Deline Renewable Resource Council

P.O Box 156 Deline, NT XOEOGO

Ph: (867) 589-4224 Fax: (867) 589-4230

drrc <manager@gov.deline.ca>

The DRRC is concerned that ENR and TG's joint proposal has not considered the perspective of Sahtu Dene Elders. The DRRC does not believe that aerial shooting is respectful of the diga, and is concerned that this approach will not protect 7ekw~. In addition to being opposed to this specific method of diga culls, the DRRC is opposed to any diga culls occurring in or near the overlap area between the DehqCr and WRRB boundaries.

The DRRC requests information on where the diga culls will be occurring and what impact they will have on diga within the Dehq1r area specifically and within the Sahtu region generally. The DRRC requests that the WRRB hold a full hearing to ensure that there is sufficient consultation on this matter of great importance to the DehqCr Got'tQCr·

Sincerely,

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Dehq~ Renewable Resources Council

CC Deborah Simmons, Sahtu Renewable Resources Board

Gina Bayha, DehqCr Got'tQCr Government Lands and Environment Department
