Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Apr 07/00) - The territorial government has refused to make its position clear on its involvement in the Deh Cho Process, according to Deh Cho First Nations negotiator Chris Reid.

The DCFN has submitted written requests to the GNWT since November asking a number of pointed questions, but there has not been an acceptable response, he said Monday, following weekend negotiations in West Point.

"They keep coming back to us with what I would call 'fluff motherhood' statements ... that they respect the treaty relationship between Canada and the Deh Cho," he said. "It's a problem ... if they think that they're going to slide their way into the negotiations without answering these questions, they're mistaken. It's not going to happen."

Bob Patterson, land claims negotiator for the GNWT, said the territorial government is, at this point, just an observer to the Deh Cho negotiations and not being at the table makes it more difficult to respond.

"We're working hard to clarify where we are with subject matters," Patterson said. "At the present time we're still working on it."

Reid said the GNWT has not declared whether they expect to be a full party on all issues, particularly on resource revenue sharing such as that from oil and gas, he noted.

"We see no reason why they would be involved in that. They have no legal or legitimate interests of any kind," he said. "That should strictly be, as far as we're concerned, between the First Nations and Canada."

On other issues, such as education, health and social services, the federal government has insisted the GNWT be at the table and the DCFN leadership has been open to that idea, Reid said.

Another major question that Reid said the GNWT has been side-stepping is whether they will recognize the Deh Cho government, based on Dene laws and customs, as the primary government in the region.

"That doesn't mean the only government. There would still be a role for Canada and the GNWT," he explained. "The primary government should be a Deh Cho government, which would be accountable to all residents of the Deh Cho and provide services to all residents of the Deh Cho."

He said a meeting between the DCFN and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jim Antoine is being arranged.

On the upside, progress has been made with the federal government in regards to interim measures, according to Reid. However, an interim measures agreement, even if it evolves to completion, is of no use until the framework agreement is also ready to be ratified, Reid said. And without specific answers from the GNWT, the framework agreement is in limbo, he added.

As for Tulita's status in the Deh Cho Process, the federal government still insists that the "Mountain Dene" were party to the Sahtu Comprehensive Claim, while the Deh Cho argue that the Tulita First Nation has a right to be involved in the Deh Cho Process.

"Nobody's position has changed. I think it's safe to say that we've agreed to disagree," he said. "If we get to Phase II (of negotiations) it will be an issue for negotiation."

The next round of negotiations is expected to take place during the third or fourth week of May.