By centering Indigenous-led approaches in tackling issues like climate change and biodiversity loss, Dahti Tsetso convenes diverse partners to conserve natural areas, foster cultural connection, and create new economic opportunities.
As a Dene person, to be sorting through how to support not just our communities, but communities across the country, as well as stepping into leadership and to hold up our communities and our knowledge systems and knowledge holders as examples of value—it’s deeply meaningful.
Dahti Tsetso
Indigenous Leadership Initiative
When it comes to advancing conservation efforts, Dahti Tsetso is ready for Indigenous-led solutions to take centre stage.
“Seeing Indigenous-led approaches at the core of solutions-focused work fills me with so much hope,” she says. “I’m often struck by the deep knowledge that is held within our communities and our worldview, including our relationship to land, that are central to the way in which our leadership approaches problems and solutions.”
Below is a conversation we had with Dahti about her career journey, her approach to learning that puts listening first, and the impact and importance of Indigenous-led conservation efforts. It has been edited for clarity and length
Dahti Tsetso: It’s been a lifelong journey! My path evolved naturally through experience, education, and then work experience over time—I have just followed what felt right at each step.
When I went to university, I started off in a general science program and then after a year and a half I realized that the core sciences weren’t best suited to where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. So I started to explore other educational opportunities that were in line with what I was studying, but had more of a community element.
I stumbled upon a program at the University of Alberta called Environmental Conservation Sciences, which focused on the human dimension of environmental conservation—really, the management side of conservation work.
I also completed a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies alongside my science degree. As a young Dene woman trying to understand who I was in this world at that time, it was really appealing to have an educational program that helped me explore that and research my own history. The combined program ended up being a powerful tool for me to prepare for where I wanted to go professionally.
After I finished my program, I ended up in Fort Simpson, where I was hired as a Resource Management Coordinator with the Dehcho First Nations. Over time, my role grew within the organization. I became the Director of Lands and Resources and I started to explore leadership opportunities within the work itself.
Exploring the leadership side of conservation within our communities and asking what it means to honour who we are as Dene people in this work was incredibly valuable. Working with the Dehcho First Nations was a whole other piece of education for me where I got to work directly with leaders and with Elders and with youth from the region to explore some of these topics.
This work was incredible for me personally and positioned me to step into the role I’m currently in now with Indigenous Leadership Initiative (ILI) as the Deputy Director. It also helped me figure out how to play a lead role in a convening team for a recent Project Finance for Permanence Project that has been cross-territorial with so many partners.
When I look back on how I got to where I am now, I sometimes think that I stumbled my way into the roles I’ve been in, but I certainly had key moments that pushed me forward and had mentors that guided me too.
I feel really lucky that I’ve landed in this work because it is so deeply meaningful to me. As a Dene person, to be sorting through how to support not just our communities, but communities across the country, as well as stepping into leadership and to hold up our communities and our knowledge systems and knowledge holders as examples of value—it’s deeply meaningful.
GC: Can you tell me about your role at Indigenous Leadership Initiative (ILI)?
DT: I joined the ILI in 2021 after working with the regional Indigenous government in the Northwest Territories for about 11 years. During those years I worked with member communities and with Dehcho leadership and Elders to develop a regional Guardians program. I also helped establish, through negotiations, an Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) known as Edéhzhíe, which is a 14,200 square kilometre area of boreal forest, headwater lakes and caribou grounds west of Yellowknife. With these experiences in mind, Valérie Courtois, executive director of ILI, invited me to join her team as her deputy director where I have been able to shadow her work.
Since joining ILI, my work has really been focused on a particular project in the Northwest Territories known as the Northwest Territories Project Finance for Permanence (NWT PFP). Being from the Northwest Territories and having the background that I have, it has made a lot of sense for me to make this my focus and it’s really exciting to see this work come to fruition.
GC: Can you tell me about how this project is coming to fruition?
DT: ILI has been playing a convening role for all of the partners involved in this initiative including 22 Indigenous Governments, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Federal Government, and the private donors who have been engaged in these discussions for the last number of years. All of these partners have come together to develop a funding agreement using the ‘finance for permanence’ funding model, adapted for the context in Northwest Territories.
We recently reached an agreement and had a signing celebration on November 14, 2024. The agreement, known as NWT: Our Land for the Future, will create transformative benefits on the ground for lands and waters, climate resilience, cultural revitalization and local economies. It’s going to be one of the largest Indigenous-led conservation initiatives in the world, which is really encouraging.
And while signing this agreement is an incredible milestone, ILI will continue to play a role for our partners to ensure we see things through and ensure the monies promised actually start flowing and are received by those ready to do the work.
GC: Has this sort of project been implemented elsewhere in Canada?
DT: Coast Funds is heralded as one of the first organizations to implement a PFP model. There are also other regions exploring this model–Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) in Nunavut and Mushkegowuk in Northern Ontario too. We’re really rooting for them and hoping that they are able to achieve a similar milestone soon.
GC: What is it like to work in a role that works with communities and Nations that are so spread out geographically?
DT: The pandemic fundamentally shifted the ways we work together and the way we network. Being able to connect virtually has opened up opportunities for me in a way that I never could have guessed.
Before the pandemic, Valérie Courtois had talked to me about joining the team but I wasn’t sure I could take on a role that involved so much travel, seeing as they worked with so many different communities. Being based in the Northwest Territories and as a mother with three kids, I remember thinking that a role like this didn’t seem within my grasp. Now that working virtually is the norm, it has allowed me to actually balance motherhood and career and allow me to participate in this work.
GC: What motivates you to move forward in your work?
DT: Seeing Indigenous-led approaches at the core of solutions-focused work fills me with so much hope. I’m often struck by the deep knowledge that is held within our communities and our worldview, including our relationship to land, that are central to the way in which our leadership approaches problems and solutions.
It’s motivating to see recent successes that are honouring Indigenous leadership and Indigenous-led solutions. Looking at some of the problems that we are collectively facing like climate change, biodiversity loss–these are issues where we’re going to need everyone working together in all types of knowledge systems in order to face. The fact that we’re starting to pull in Indigenous knowledge systems and worldviews into the toolkit of solutions brings me a lot of hope.
In the past, as well as in the current moment, you see people developing solutions and then trying to fit Indigenous knowledge systems into their approach after the fact. Moving forward, I would love to invert that relationship and have Indigenous knowledge systems and approaches be the guiding framework and then introduce other systems of knowledge to strengthen and complement the work.
I’ve seen community knowledge holders and Elders working intimately with researchers and scientists where they complement each other’s approach in such a strong way. From my perspective, it’s more seamless when you lead with Indigenous knowledge and then complement that approach with other approaches that are specific to the work.
Strengthening our collection of knowledge as we move forward into the future is only a good thing. Knowledge is power and we need good information to make good decisions. And all of this work has such a direct impact within our communities in terms of reconciliation and healing as well—it all starts to multiply the positive impact.
GC: If you could provide a piece of advice to those pursuing a similar career path to you, what might you say?
I have always approached learning in a way where I have prioritized listening, watching, and observing. I have spent a lot of time as a bug on the wall in leadership rooms trying to listen and absorb what guidance leaders were sharing.
I think we can feel pressure to be an active participant but sometimes I think we can actually learn the most by listening.
This may not really sound like profound advice at first, but if I think back on the moments where I learned the most it was really because I was listening and absorbing the experience, knowledge, and guidance of those around me.
For me, I think it’s really about acknowledging that you don’t have all the answers and that’s okay. Giving yourself the space to learn from the people around you can help you figure out any problem, big or small.
GC: What does meaningful impact look like to you?
DT: Simply put, meaningful impact means leaving things better than you found them.
At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to create that positive impact and create a world that’s a bit better for future generations.
GC: Is there anything you are reading or listening to right now that you’d recommend?
DT: I was recently gifted a book of poetry called Crushed Wild Mint written by Jess Housty, who is an Indigenous woman from coastal British Columbia. I met Jess a few years ago when she was doing some incredible work for her community and was struck by how much of a powerhouse she was. It has been really neat to learn more about her through this book.
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To learn more about the work of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, visit their website: ilinationhood.ca
As a Dene person, to be sorting through how to support not just our communities, but communities across the country, as well as stepping into leadership and to hold up our communities and our knowledge systems and knowledge holders as examples of value—it’s deeply meaningful.
Dahti Tsetso
Indigenous Leadership Initiative
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