Rachel Crapeau is a life-long resident Chief Drygeese Territory and is a Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) member. She was appointed to the Wek'èezhìi Land and Water Board by the federal government after a long career of serving others through the public and private sector.
Rachel previously served as chair of YKDFN’s Land and Environment Committee as diamond mines began opening in the NWT, acting as a liaison between the government and the Dene Elders as she is fluent in Tłı̨chǫ and English.
This was one of the first times Elders had a chance to ask questions about mine development through a consultation process, Rachel explained, saying, “I went to the hearings with the Elders and my role was to get them to explain what it was that they were worried about or wondering about.”
It was her job to help the Elders get answers.
Today, with the WLWB, Rachel is still helping get people the answers and reassurances they need.
“Some people, even from my community, they say, ‘What do you do? Where do you go to work? What's happening there? Are they going to build something someplace?’ So I’m the person who gets questions thrown at them, and you answer and you find out what it is that they want to know,” she said.
Being bilingual, Rachel has helped bridge linguistic and cultural divides, helping Dene and non-Dene better understand each other and work together to improve their collective futures.
From preparing traditional knowledge studies of the Drygeese Territory, to raising the standing and prominence of Elders in regulatory proceedings, to planning, and facilitating many Dene cultural programs, Rachel is a powerful voice of the past and a bridge into the future lives of Dene.
For example, she was also asked by the Yellowknives Dene to re-write and administer its new election code, resulting in renewed confidence and energy in the political process.
Rachel also served on the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board for two terms, where she gained experience in listening to what people want and are worried about. She also learned a lot about the regulatory system, such as what goes into a water license application and what “effluent quality criteria” is. Admired for her work, Rachel was then asked to serve on a panel that eventually approved the Gahcho Kué diamond mine.
Supporting and documenting her peoples’ history and culture stands as a hallmark of Rachel’s work. From preparing traditional knowledge studies of the Drygeese Territory, to raising the standing and prominence of Elders in regulatory proceedings, to planning, facilitating many Dene cultural programs, Rachel is a powerful voice of the past and a bridge into the future lives of Dene.
Outside of her work with various boards, Rachel has pursued education and careers and as a certified nursing assistant, a Film Canada Studio’s graduate, and as a Tłı̨chǫ radio and TV show host with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
After taking a career break to raise her son, Rachel returned to the YKDFN Land and Environment program where she worked with Elders and young trappers, hunters, and fishermen.
With these experiences, Rachel brings extensive knowledge and unwavering respect for the Dene culture and for all peoples to the Wek'èezhìi Land and Water Board where she values her role as a listener, hearing the concerns and requests of the community. She is committed to continue to share her knowledge with the Board and the community to ensure both Elders and youth have a solid understanding of the effects mines and other infrastructure has on the land and water.
When she’s not working, Rachel can be found hunting with her husband, or visiting with her children and grandchildren at their family cabin.
Throughout her life and career Rachel has brought remarkable energy, resilience and tenacity to her work and has remained committed to serving all Northerners with dignity and respect. Firmly rooted in her Dene identity, Rachel has bridged cultural divides and brought shared understanding to some of the North’s most daunting challenges.