Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Jan 04/02) - Deh Cho First Nations leaders will likely seek federal mediation in a boundary overlap dispute with the Dogrib, according to DCFN chief negotiator Chris Reid.

Joe Rabesca

The issue will be raised during a scheduled one-hour meeting with Robert Nault, Minister of Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND), on Jan. 11, said Reid.

He said the other major topics will be the Deh Cho's request for 50 per cent of regional resource revenues and the intergovernmental forum, which includes the territorial government and other claimant groups in devolution issues.

There had appeared to be progress in the long-disputed Horn Plateau area. Deh Cho leaders had proposed to protect the land and share it last April. They thought they had reached a tentative agreement with the Dogrib but found out otherwise.

"They (the Dogrib) totally reneged on it. We met with them in October and they denied ever having discussed it ... we were just flabbergasted," Reid said.

The Dogrib are reportedly close to signing a final land-claims agreement, and Nault said last May that the Horn Plateau boundary would not uphold it. Reid said the issue may ultimately be decided by the courts.

The Akaitcho First Nations, who also have a boundary overlap dispute with the Dogrib, have stated they will take legal action, he noted.

"I know that the Deh Cho leadership are certainly talking about going that way too if it's not resolved. They certainly won't accept an imposed boundary," said Reid.

However, if federal mediation is offered again, as it was last year, the Deh Cho may take the government up on it, he said.

The most recent offer the DCFN made was to include the Horn Plateau within the Deh Cho but allow the Dogrib harvesting rights within the area, Reid said.

Dogrib grand chief Joe Rabesca and chief negotiator John B. Zoe could not be reached for comment before press time.