Tanya McIntosh is the chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and is from the Sahtu region. Her family comes from Délı̨nę, Tulita, Norman Wells, and Fort Good Hope and includes a number of respected Elders, including grandparents Joe and Marie Blondin, grandmother Cecilia Modeste, and mother Ethel Blondin-Andrew. Tanya said she has had some very wonderful people providing positive influence in her life.
“One of the things that I've really loved is being out on the land, being able to go fishing, being able to touch the trees and just see the journey of the seasons that happen,” she said. “It's such a special thing to feel connected to the land, and I really want to impart that passion on other people.”
She also values the importance of education but emphasizes that connecting with the land and understanding its influence on communities and future generations is equally important. Her passion for land stewardship has guided her career that has spanned from forestry to oil and gas land surveying. With a two-year diploma in Geomatics Engineering Technology, Tanya’s career in land surveying, particularly in the oil and gas sector, taught her the impact of industrial activities on the environment and communities. This experience deepened her commitment to being a part of a system that is “working in its best way, to take care of the land, take care of the people, and make sure that generations from now are happy with the decisions that we've made.”
Tanya’s journey to becoming the chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board began unexpectedly. Initially, she doubted her qualifications to sit at the table, but over time, she realized that everyone has something valuable to contribute.
“This part of my story is very important to share, because I want other people to understand that we all belong at that table, the decisions and the oversight that is needed to take care of our environment. It needs all of us to be involved, and we are all vital to this. We all have something to contribute,” she said.
Tanya started as a board member on the Sahtu Land and Water Board, then became chair of that board, which then evolved to her becoming chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board.
Tanya encourages others, particularly youth, to step forward and participate on the land and water board, highlighting the mentoring and learning opportunities available on the job.
Her involvement in significant projects like the Giant Mine reclamation further showed her the importance of the board’s work. She was part of the panel responsible for water licensing for the site, where the primary concern was preventing arsenic contamination from affecting the water systems. The panel’s decision to freeze the arsenic was based on extensive evidence and scientific input.
“There are big projects out there that I think need the attention of our people there. There is a reason why we're here for this oversight. There's a reason why we've been invited to the table. It would be nice to see the marriage of the Western technology to our traditional knowledge,” she said.
“And I think that good things are going to happen. And I'm so grateful to be here, in this opportunity, in this moment.”