Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we often hear the terms "traditional knowledge," "Indigenous knowledge," and "local knowledge" used interchangeably, without really stopping to think what they really mean.
Local knowledge is everywhere, Mr. Speaker, even here at the Legislative Assembly. Every community in the Northwest Territories has local knowledge. Local knowledge comes out of what our daily practice is and is specific to the place and time that we live in. It is shared by a group of individuals who are united by the similar experience of living or spending time in a particular locale and is not specific to a certain culture or ethnicity.
Traditional or Indigenous knowledge, on the other hand, is a subset of local knowledge. It is based on practices and is specific to a place, but it is the result of the sustained interaction of Indigenous people with their environment over generations. Traditional or Indigenous knowledge exists beyond an individual's lifetime. It is used by a specific community with a distinct cultural identity that is separate from the larger society. Unlike local knowledge, traditional knowledge or Indigenous knowledge is historical, culturally enriched and persistent over time.
It seems that the Government of the Northwest Territories has adopted the use of the term "traditional knowledge" or TK to refer to the specialized knowledge of Indigenous Aboriginal communities in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage the GNWT to use the term "Indigenous knowledge" instead, as this is consistent with what is being used at the United Nations and it also more accurately reflects what the GNWT is really referring to, which is the specialized knowledge of its Indigenous Aboriginal peoples.
When talking about the use of Indigenous and local knowledge, I also want to stress the importance of scientific research working in tandem with both sources of knowledge. The best way to protect the wildlife that sustains our northern people, for example, is for scientific research to be combined with the Indigenous knowledge of local harvesters. Mr. Speaker, the use of Indigenous knowledge, supported by other data and information, is the best way to improve the quality of outcomes for each region across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.