Kaska are an aboriginal people of Canada within the meaning of s. 35(1) of the Constitution Act 1982, and an Indigenous people within the meaning of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Kaska Nation has Aboriginal rights, including title, within the Kaska Traditional Territory, which includes lands in British Columbia, Yukon, and Northwest Territories.
Kaska Dena Council submitted a Statement of Claim to the Federal Government in 1982 and is currently negotiating with BC and Canada under the BC Treaty Process. For a historical timeline of our Treaty negotiations, click here.
Long before European settlement and the imposition of European laws and ideas on Indigenous culture, Kaska Dena were a self-governing First Nation. Our own laws, culture, and way of life prevailed.
With the imposition of the Indian Act, our self-governing ways were taken away, but we have never lost our inherent right to self-governance. We want certainty over our lands and resources and we want to regain the ability to make decisions for ourselves – to create a better future for our children and their children.
As a First Nation with a modern treaty, we would be self-governing and would have a constitution and a range of law-making authorities, providing programs and services to Kaska citizens according to our values and needs. Our Kaska Land Model would provide for a Government to Government relationship on lands within Kaska Dena Traditional Territory.