Better communication needed among aboriginal bands
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Providence (Feb 09/01) - Deh Gah Got'ie chief Ron Bonnetrouge is accusing members of the Dogrib First Nation of harvesting Deh Gah Got'ie's natural resources without consent.
Bonnetrouge said trappers from his community say Dogrib band members had set up tents in the Willow Lake area and supplies had been dropped to them by plane.
Last summer there was also member of the Dogrib First Nation cutting trees along the highway, well within Deh Gah Got'ie's traditional area, according to Bonnetrouge.
"We always say amongst First Nations people (we need) consultation with each other. It's not happening here," he said. "That's something we've got to address."
Herb Norwegian, boundaries co-ordinator for the Deh Cho First Nations (DCFN), concurred with Bonnetrouge.
"If you have a neighbouring First Nation that infringes upon they're harvesting areas without proper protocol, then it creates a problem," said Norwegian.
He recalled an incident when he and another member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation (LKFN) in Fort Simpson came across Dogrib trappers on the west side of the Horn Plateau, in what is considered LKFN traditional territory.
"We told them that we were up there to set traps but we couldn't do it because you guys are all on our lines here," he said.
Eddie Erasmus, senior lands negotiator for the Dogrib Treaty 11 council said the communication must improve.
"The people from this community (Rae) have been going there for over 20 years. It's never been an issue before, it's just since claims has started," he said. "So the people still continue to go there. It's part of Treaty 11 area, but consultation is the issue. The Rae band here is supposed to consult with the bands from those communities if they plan to go there."
Norwegian agreed that communication is the key issue.
"If we hunt over in the Dogrib territory for Barrenlands caribou, guaranteed one of our First Nations is going to inform one of the (Dogrib) chiefs that we want to come in and do a hunt," he said. "We've been bending over backwards in protocol, but they don't do it with us."
Only verbal agreements exist and he recommended that a formal accord be established.
