Modern Treaties, Extraction, and Imperialism in Canada’s Indigenous North: Two Case Studies

AbstractDrawing on case studies from Nunavut and Denendeh (Northwest Territories), we argue that the institutions created by modern treaties are poorly positioned to represent the interests of Indigenous hunters. These capital/land-holding institutions have objective interests in the opportunities for economic growth provided by extractive projects. The debates around uranium mining in Nunavut and a natural gas pipeline in Denendeh demonstrate how land claims institutions work with extractive capital to defuse dissent to unpopular and highly destructive "development" projects. These institutions are key mechanisms in contemporary processes of dispossession and imperialism. Grassroots resistance remains the most effective tool for defending local food production systems.