Tree‐line and politics in Canada's Northwest Territories

The theme of physical‐cultural interaction is developed with reference to the significance of the tree‐line in Canada's Northwest Territories. The nature of the tree‐line is reviewed in the context of its relationship to two aboriginal groups, the tundra‐dwelling Inuit and the forest‐dwelling Dene. The Supreme Court of Canada in the 1970s acknowledged aboriginal title to traditional lands, and since then the government has attempted to settle land claims with the native peoples. The role of the tree‐line as a boundary between the two aboriginal groups is discussed.