$500 cashpayout from Diavik
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Rae-Edzo (Jan 22/01) - It will be remembered in Rae-Edzo as the day money fell from the sky.
For two days Rae band members lined up at the Dogrib Treat 11 building to claim $500 in cash - part of the proceeds from an impact benefit agreement with Diavik Mines.
They took taxis from Yellowknife, drove up from Ft. Providence. Kids stayed home from school. The whole community buzzed with anticipation.
Tables lined the perimeter of the auditorium of Dogrib Treaty 11 building and conga line of people snaked around the empty space at the centre, out the door and into the parking-lot.
Money was counted and stuffed in envelopes, then handed to band members who checked their names on a list. They accepted a handshake from Rae Chief Eddie Paul Rabesca and left smiling.
"I see a lot of happy faces, happy moms," said Dogrib Grand Chief Joe Rabesca.
Marilyn Mantla welcomed the money as "a nice surprise, out of the blue. I'm going to buy things for my children."
"I plan to open an account to save for college for my daughters," Charlie Rabesca said, flashing the crisp bills.
Rita Dryneck and her friend Joyce Washie didn't know what they were going to do with the money.
"It's too early to tell," they said.
By the end of Wednesday, 2,305 band members, young and old, had taken away $1.15 million from $4 million Diavik paid to the Dogrib communities of Rae-Edzo, What Ti, Rae Lakes and Snare Lake.
The local economy didn't catch much of the pay-out. The Co-op was nearly empty Wednesday and store manager Gus Briffett wasn't surprised.
"People don't shop locally; most of the money is gone to Yellowknife." said Briffet.
Rae Chief Eddie Paul Rabesca said he couldn't tell people how to spend their money but believes some of it would stay in the community. Money that wasn't distributed in payouts to band members will be invested in an airstrip at Rae-Edzo, said Rabesca.
RCMP were busy. Twenty people were in holding cells. Most arrested for liquor infractions.
"It's like a summer weekend," said Sgt. Mark Wharton.
Police set up a checkpoint on Highway 3 near the turn-off to Rae and searched vehicles. They seized liquor and beer that exceeded the community's restriction level of 750 ml of spirits and a flat of 24 beer in one month.
Police seized 48 - 375 ml bottles of liquor, four 750 ml bottles, two 1.44 ml bottles, plus four cases of beer.
Almost half the alcohol was taken from a Friendship Express Bus headed to Rae on Thursday.
"There were really no new faces arrested," said Wharton.
