Dave Porter, Chair, Kaska Dena Council

Dave spent the first seven years of his life on a trapline near Good Hope Lake, B.C. His education included Lower Post Indian Residential School, F.H. Collins Secondary School in Whitehorse, Confederation College in Thunder Bay and Pre-Law at the University of British Columbia.

As a young CBC radio journalist, Dave worked throughout the north and traveled for two years with Justice Thomas Berger, covering the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry for CBC.

He was founding Chairman of the Northern Native Broadcasting, Yukon and was elected as Vice-Chair of the Council for Yukon Indians through two terms (1978-1982) holding several portfolios including Land Claims, Housing and Economic Development.

In 1982, Dave was elected to the Yukon Legislature and upon re-election in 1985 he served in the first NDP government as Deputy Premier. He also served as Minister of Renewable Resources, Tourism, Heritage and Culture, and Minister Responsible for Constitutional Devolution.

After leaving the Legislature, Dave became the Executive Director of the Yukon Human Rights Commission, then Deputy Minister of Culture and Communications for the Government of the Northwest Territories and Assistant Deputy Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in B.C.

In the 1990's Dave led the Fur Industry European Lobby on behalf of the Governments of Canada and the United States and later served as the first Oil and Gas Commissioner in British Columbia.

Dave left the Oil and Gas Commission to serve as National Negotiator for the Kaska Nation. He was elected Chair of the Kaska Dena Council in 2002, with a special commitment to create greater opportunity for Kaska youth.

This page was last modified: Tuesday, 25-Mar-2003 08:44:28 PST