All Communities at assembly for first time in eight years
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 26/01) - Old wounds may be starting to heal.
After eight years with only partial participation from its 26 community members, the Dene Nation met in full force in Yellowknife last week and all parties are pledging to stick together.
"The Dogrib will be back," said Grand Chief Joe Rabesca, slamming an open palm on the table.
At the end of the three-day assembly, the Dene Nation drew up three major resolutions.
The first and most pressing part of the agenda focused on modernizing the constitution.
"There are areas we still need to work on," said Gerry Antoine, co-chair of the assembly.
"We have to look at the objects (purpose) of the constitution and membership in general."
Antoine said the assembly gave the Dene Nation leadership direction to seek funding for a constitutional committee to rework areas of concern.
The committee is comprised of representatives from each of the five regions in the Northwest Territories: Beaufort-Delta, Sahtu, Deh Cho, North Slave and South Slave.
Antoine said it's hoped the draft will be ready for presentation at a Dene Nation leadership meeting in May.
Gun law challenge
The assembly also approved a legal challenge to the federal government's gun legislation, Bill C-68.
"We now have to take a look at what's happening across the country," said Dene Nation National Chief Bill Erasmus.
He said many questions must be answered before the Dene Nation goes ahead.
"Who takes them to court? And at what level to we begin?" said Erasmus.
Not all groups at the assembly agreed with the gun challenge.
The Dogrib were not present to vote at the time the resolution passed.
"Our elders don't want to support a move to take the government to court," said Rabesca.
Chief Frank Andrew from Tulita supported the move.
"It's going to be bad for our children," said Andrew. "We have treaty rights."
NWT hotel tax
The Dene Nation moved to unanimously oppose the proposed territorial Hotel Tax saying, "it infringes on treaty rights ... and has direct impact on First Nations government."
Chief Don Balsillie of the Deninu K'ue First Nation said he wants the territory to withdraw the hotel tax.
"Until we settle (land claims) we can't support a tax on our people," he said.
Boundary dispute
Yellowknifes' Chief Peter Liske, from Ndilo, and Chief Richard Edjericon, from Dettah, pressed the Dogrib to settle outstanding boundary disputes which is snagging both nation's land claim negotiations.
"We need to look at a process now," said Edjericon.
"We need to find a solution, we can't wait until the summer."
Edjericon wants the boundary dispute settled elder to elder instead of allowing the federal government to step in and mediate a solution.
"The Government of Canada through arbitration will draw a line between us anyway," said Edjericon.
Rabesca said the Dogrib want the chief negotiators to settle the issue.
"This is not the place to discuss this," said Rabesca.
