This fonds contains records gathered by John U. Bayly in his role as Inquiry Counsel for the Bourassa Inquiry. The Inquiry was conducted by Madam Justice Carole Conrad of Alberta and held in Yellowknife. The proceedings began on March 26, 1990 and ended with Madam Conrad's findings issued on September 28, 1990. The records consist of copies of preliminary proceedings, transcripts of the hearings, exhibits including one videocassette and one audio cassette of the press conference and public meeting held by GNWT Justice Minister Michael Ballantyne on Dec. 21, 1989. In addition, there are files containing submissions, letters of complaint, authorities, the inquiry findings and press clippings.
Bayly, JohnThis fonds consists of one DAT audio cassette and 5 cm of textual material. The DAT audio cassette contains a recording of Dr. Cass in early 1980, dictating letters for her secretary. She discusses her health and her recent trip to Brazil with the International Society of Geographic Opthalmology. The textual material consists of transcripts that contain Dr. Cass' personal observations on the Gwich'in. These observations were made in 1959. Her recollections cover such topics as puberty, religious beliefs, burial customs, personal hygiene, marriage, music and dancing. She has also recorded many of the Gwich'in stories and legends that were related to her by such individuals as Paul Bonnetplume (Aklavik), Annie McPherson (Fort McPherson), Peter Lord (Old Crow, Yukon), Lazarus Sittichinli, Peter Moses and Edward Snowshoe. Although many of the legends relate to medicine men, Dr. Cass also recounts stories about the Willow Man, the Ungrateful Indian, Sakeethuck the "Trickster," the Crow Who Lost His Beak, the Lazy Boy, three stories about Bushmen [Hare and Slavey Indians] and a two hour saga about two brothers as told to her by Edward Snowshoe. The remaining textual material consists of reports written by Dr. Elizabeth Cass. The reports examine blindness and eye problems amongst children and adults in the Northwest Territories. There are charts and graphs included in the reports.
Cass, ElizabethThis fonds consists of 81 cm of records created by Robert Bouchard. Although the records are mainly his client files, some of his personal business records are included. The papers include legal actions for murder, rape, incest, divorce, maintenance, transfers of mining claims, and various motor vehicle offenses. Each file appears to contain copies of related incoming and outgoing correspondence, including Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reports. There are also a number of transcripts of murder trials held in the NWT. The papers have been arranged into three series: client files; community files; and administration and miscellaneous files.
Bouchard, RobertThis fonds contains .5 cm of textual material and 41 black and white prints taken by Wilfred H. Kennedy who lived in the north in the late 1930s. He worked on the boats travelling the Mackenzie River before moving to Yellowknife, where he was employed at Con Mine. The photographs depict Eldorado Mines, Great Bear Lake and Con Mine, Yellowknife. There are images of miners and other residents of Yellowknife, including the members of the first hockey team in the community. There are also photographs of some of the first buildings in the community. There is also a letter from Alex C. Mosher, and a number of newspaper clippings dating from 1938 which were annotated by Alex Mosher.
Yellowknife Local History ProjectThis fonds consists of 2 DAT audiocassettes, 2 audio reels and one centimeter of textual material. The two DAT audiocassettes and 2 audio reels contain recordings done by Father Henri Posset. The first recording was made in September 1957. It consists of drumming and chanting taped in Jean Marie River and Fort Franklin, fiddle music from Fort Franklin and various Slavey legends related by Johnny Betseda of Fort Simpson and Jean Marie Punch of Fort Providence. The second recordings with John Tsetso were made on April 1, 1964 in St. Margaret's Hospital at Fort Simpson. In this recording, Tsetso narrates, in Slavey, the first three chapters of his book, "Trapping is my Life", which was published in February 1964. He also relates two other stories about summer and winter. The fonds also contains two letters written by Father Posset which provide some biographical information on Johnny Betseda, John Tsetso and Jean Marie Punch. There is also a typed transcript of an interview between Father Posset and William Nerysoo, Sr., relating to Gwich'in personal names, which was conducted on November 23, 1987.
Posset, HenriThis fonds consists of one photocopy of a typed manuscript written by Gwendoline Tremain-Runyard between 1976 and 1988 and 89 copy negatives that were reproduced from an album compiled by Lottie Tremain, during her stay in the Northwest Territories between 1914 and 1919. The photographs document the three Anglican Missions that Reverend W.S. Tremain worked at: Fort Norman, Fort Simpson, and Hay River. The images relate primarily to the mission buildings in each community, and the staff and pupils of St. Peter's Anglican Residential School at Hay River. Some photographs depict Anglican missionaries who visited these communities. In addition, there are images of the "S.S. Mackenzie River", and some of canoes, scows, mooseskin boats, and tugs that plied the Mackenzie River. There are also some images of Dene camps. The manuscript gives a brief history of her family, however, Gwendoline has advised the NWT Archives that later research has made her aware of inaccuracies in that history.
Tremain (family)This fonds consists of 79 colour photographs that were in an album compiled by members of the Sanavisak Guild in Pine Point. The accession also contains the minutes of a meeting held on September 8, 1965 to discuss the formation of the guild; two guild newsletters, one from March 1982 and the other from 1983; and the programme for the guild's 10th Anniversary dinner and dance. The photographs document many of the activities of the Sanavisak Guild in Pine Point between 1969 and 1984. The majority of the images are well identified. Activities depicted include craft and bake sales, Christmas parties and floats decorated by the guild for the annual Pine Days parade and celebrations.
Sanavisak GuildThis fonds contains 0.6 cm of textual records, which consist of an 11 page photocopy of Winona Orr Carruthers' recollections of her time spent as a teacher at the Anglican Mission in Hay River, 1903-1909. These recollections were compiled by Linda deBalinhard and Karen Carruthers. Topics covered include descriptions of: the trip to Hay River from Edmonton by scow; Hay River; fishing; huskies; school life; the arrival of the annual steamer; and the Christmas season.
Carrothers, WinonaThis fonds consists of 291 photographs and 6.2 cm of textual material. There are images of Aklavik and the surrounding area, as well as images that document Mary Saich's trip to Tuktoyaktuk. In addition, there is one scrapbook compiled by Mary Saich; one notebook that includes historical and geographical notes on the Northwest Territories, her curriculum ideas and a manuscript entitled "A Year in Canada's North" which includes copies/originals of articles on the north and copies/originals of Mary Saich's correspondence with her parents.
Saich, MaryThis fonds consists 4.7 m of text, approximately 1972 photographs, 44 maps, 17 architectural drawings, and 6 audio cassettes relating to Robert R. (Bob) Janes' work in the Northwest Territories as an archaeologist, first Director of the Territorial Central Museum (later the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre or PWNHC), and Executive Director of the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories (SINT). The textual records include archaeological field notes and reports, papers and articles written and collected by Janes, reviews, correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, PWNHC building planning and operation files, newsletters, newspaper clippings, EXPO’86 planning files, and PWNHC and SINT publications. The photographs, maps, and architectural plans document archaeological work at Fort Alexander, Willow Lake, and Dealy Island, the construction, opening, and early operations of the PWNHC, the unveiling of the Sir John Ross plaque in Taloyoak (Spence Bay), and the research station at Iglulik (Igloolik). One plan shows preparations for the Northwest Territories pavilion at EXPO’86. The sound recordings include interviews and a recording of a church service for Janes’ ethnoarchaeological project at Willow Lake.
Janes, Robert R.This fonds consists of a copy of a typed version of the diary of Otto Lahser. The diary describes the journey taken in 1898 and 1899 down the Athabasca and Slave Rivers to Great Slave Lake and then down the Mackenzie River to the Peel River aboard the boat "Enterprise." The diary includes details on weather, people they encountered and their attempts to locate gold.
Lahser, OttoThis fonds consists of copies of the typed minutes of the Hamlet Council meetings held February 25, 1970 and November 18, 1970. It includes the Accounts Payable for November 30, 1970 and a copy of By-law 12.
Fort Simpson (NT)This fonds consists of mimeographed copies of typed minutes from meetings of the following: Advisory Committee of the Local Improvement District of Fort Smith (November 1959 to March 1964); Council of the Corporation of the Village of Fort Smith (April 1964 to September 1966); Council of the Corporation of the Town of Fort Smith, (October 1966 to December 1966). In addition, there is a copy of a brief: "The Choice of a Capital for the Northwest Territories," dated November 1965.
Fort Smith (NT)This fonds consists of 12 purchase orders of the then named Eldorado Gold Mines Limited, dating from April 25 to November 23, 1939; and one manuscript, titled "The Eldorado Epidemiology Project Health Follow-Up of Eldorado Uranium Workers: Historical Description Appendices of Main Work Sites", Number 3, prepared for Eldorado Nuclear Limited, dated December 1982. The text is composed of four descriptions of events relating to Eldorado's history, by separate authors: E. H. (Ted) Nagle - "Gilbert Labine: Great Bear Lake 1929-30"; F. J. (Tiny) Peet - "Great Bear, Eldorado and Briefly Port Hope in the 1930s"; R. G. (Bob) Jenkins - "Port Radium and Beaverlodge"; and F. W. Melvanin - "The Port Hope Refinery." The 1939 purchase order book is annotated with the names of employees.
Eldorado Nuclear LimitedThis fonds consists of copies of a number of presentations made by the participants of the 1990 Circumpolar Conference on Literacy. Included is a copy of the conference program and copies of the text for speeches by Stephen Kakfwi, Minister of Education and Leslie J. Limage of UNESCO.
Circumpolar Conference on Literacy (1990 : Yellowknife)The fonds consists of approximately 800 black and white prints and cellulose nitrate negatives. The images are contained in two photo albums and two corresponding negative albums. It also includes two file folders of photographs and a number of framed prints. The images depict Hudson's Bay Company buildings and personnel at Fort Collinson, Gjoa Haven and Tuktoyaktuk. The textual material consists of Charles Rowan's correspondence from his time at Fort Collinson, particularly concerning his use of "Barneys" Tobacco, a letter of reference from Bishop Fleming and two reports on traveling time in the arctic, particularly to and from Cambridge Bay. Furthermore, there are two notebooks that were used as "Eskimo-English" and "English-Eskimo" dictionaries. The material dates between 1935-1955.
Rowan, CharlesThis fonds consists of 2 cm of textual material relating to the operation of Alternatives North. Included in the textual material are a statement of principles, minutes, incoming and outgoing correspondence, members lists and pamphlets and flyers from Alternatives North. The records are dated from April to October 1977.
Alternatives North fondsThis fonds consists of 2.5 cm of text relating to the operations of the Centennial Committee. Included are minutes of meetings and all incoming and outgoing correspondence generated by the Committee. Details of all the projects that the Committee either proposed or successfully realized are contained in these records. The original chronological order of these records has been maintained. One file contains the records from 1964-1966; the second file contains the materials generated between 1967 and April 4, 1968 when the Committee was formally disbanded.
Yellowknife Centennial CommitteeThis fonds consists of 45 DAT audio cassettes, 125 audio cassettes, approximately 7.7 meters of textual material and approximately 1000 photographs.
These records, in the form of textual material, sound recordings and photographs have been divided into eight series: 1) Oral History Interview Transcripts; 2) Audio Recordings which consist of 45 DAT audio cassettes (archival masters) and 124 audio cassettes (original masters) of oral histories, and 1 audio cassette (original master) of Michif language excerpts from the 1994 Michif Language Conference; 3) Archives Photocopies; 4) Subject Files; 5) Family Files; 6) Administrative Files; 7) Photographs; 8) Miscellaneous.
The archives photocopies from Series 3) consist of copies of archival documents such as petitions, treaties, government reports, significant government correspondence, and copies of extracts from books and articles. Photocopies of some of these were placed in subject files (Series 4) and family files (Series 5). These files contain information relevant to certain subjects (i.e. education, communities, Hudson's Bay Company) or families.
The administrative files in series 6 concern the administration of the Metis History Project from 1972 to 1979. As well, eight boxes of primarily administrative textual materials were donated when the Metis Nation ceased operations in 2001.
The materials in series 8 (Miscellaneous) consist of drafts of the Metis History book, index material for this collection and information on how to use this collection. Other textual material includes transcripts of interviews conducted by representatives of the Metis Heritage Association in 1992. Elders interviewed include Beatrice Daniels, Sam Norn, Albert Lafferty, Rene Mercredi, Joseph Masuzumi, Frank Laviolette, Dora Tourangeau, Len Heron, Helena Mandeville and Mable Heron. Also included within this series is the transcript of the Michif Language Conference, held on February 19-20, 1994.
Metis Heritage AssociationThe series consists of records relating to the governance of the Metis Heritage Association. The records include Board meeting minutes and packages (1989-1999), Annual General Assembly minutes and packages (1991-1999), reports, financial statements, various versions of the Constitution and Bylaws. The files have been arranged by the Archivist in primarily chronological order.