Chronological Sequence of Meetings

  • October 26, 1992 - A formal proposal requesting funding through the Access to Archaeology program was submitted to the Department of Communications by the CAA/AAC.
  • November 12, 1992 - The first meeting of the AHC was held in Calgary. There was an extended discussion by the CAA/AAC Executive of the AHC mandate and it was decided to establish regional working committees to solicit opinions and comments from Aboriginal people and practising archaeologists.

     

  • February 27, 1993 - In Winnipeg, the second meeting of the AHC was held. It was recognized during discussions that a national accord was not feasible, and that the emphasis should be placed on development of local protocols which were in general agreement with a Statement of Principles which would be developed. Funding in the form of an Access to Archaeology grant totalling $109,500 was confirmed by Elizabeth Snow, Director of Archaeological Resource Management. It was decided to invite delegates from all national Aboriginal organizations to the 1993 CAA/AAC annual meeting in Montreal for an open forum.

     

  • May 5-7, 1993 - In Montreal, the AHC approved the initial allocation of funds to the regional working committees and the national committee. The total funds were to be paid in yearly instalments, ending in the fiscal year 1995/1996, and were to be administered by Bjorn Simonsen. The mandate was also reviewed, with the term CAA/AAC Statement of Principles adopted as the title of the document to be produced.

     

  • An open forum was held during the CAA/AAC annual meeting to seek initial comments on archaeology and Aboriginal heritage. A high degree of consensus was apparent. Following the open forum, eleven points were developed by the AHC for discussion. These were:

     

    • 1. ownership of archaeological sites and cultural heritage;
      2. ownership of information;
      3. the maintenance of privacy for sacred sites and their protection;
      4. interpretations of the past, including school curriculum development;
      5. the sharing of information;
      6. the definition of archaeological site vs. traditional cultural or sacred site;
      7. archaeological training and education for First Peoples;
      8. protocol for consultation and communication with First Peoples for archaeological permits - the importance of elders;
      9. direct involvement with Aboriginal communities as part of the training of professional archaeologists;
      10. archaeological resource management; and
      11. treatment of burials.

       

     

  • January, 1994 - With the establishment of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories regional working committee was dissolved.

     

  • February 19, 1994 - In Winnipeg, the AHC met and reviewed comments received at the Montreal forum as well as written and oral submissions to members of the national AHC. A document entitled Draft Guidelines for Ethical Conduct Pertaining to Aboriginal Heritage Research and Communication was prepared for submission to the CAA/AAC membership at the annual meeting in Edmonton.

     

  • May 3-8, 1994 - In Edmonton, the Draft Guidelines were presented in an open forum at the CAA/AAC's annual meeting for comment and discussion by the membership. Concerns were expressed by several members of the professional consulting community and by members of various government regulatory bodies. Subsequently, the AHC met and decided to issue a call for written submissions from the membership and to take the expressed concerns of the membership and Aboriginal people back to the regional working committees for review.

     

  • February 18-19, 1995 - In Toronto, the AHC met to review the written submissions and the comments from the regional working committees. After a thorough discussion and review, a revised Statement of Principles was prepared, which was recommended for acceptance to the general membership at the CAA/AAC's annual meeting in Kelowna on May 6, 1995. While some reservations were expressed, there was no overt opposition to the new Statement of Principles as presented.