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Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services
 North Slave Metis Alliance president Clem Paul marched with his grandson Dillon and other supporters to the legislative assembly Tuesday to try to convince the GNWT to not initial the Dogrib Final Agreement. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo |
He said the only reason the GNWT is initialling it now is to make sure discussion takes place over the upcoming three-month grace period before it is initialled again, and the ratification process begins.
"We feel there is time for all the parties to make sure that the concerns are raised," said Antoine.
"For me personally, it's important to hear the concerns of all the neighbouring First Nations, and fully explore them."
Antoine hinted that the GNWT may not initial it again in December if the stalemate between the Dogrib and their neighbours remains unresolved.
"We're hopeful that we come to some resolutions," said Antoine. "I have to make sure we're open minded about this, and not say anything at this point in time."
The Akaitcho Nation Treaty 8 launched court action last May against the federal government to stop the claim because of an unresolved boundary dispute.
The Deh Cho First Nations are also arguing with the Dogrib over a swath of land intersecting the Horne Plateau.
Yesterday, The North Slave Metis Alliance joined the growing chorus of opposition against the Dogrib Final Agreement by staging a protest at the legislative assembly.
Metis Alliance president Clem Paul, along with 30 other supporters, marched into the Great Hall, imploring the territorial government not to initial the agreement.
"This agreement is totally in violation of Canada's obligations under international law and puts this country in league with dictatorships of the worst kind as far as denying basic human rights," said Paul during the hastily arranged press conference.
Paul said after receiving a copy of the agreement last Wednesday, he believes it sets a dangerous precedent, not only for the Dogrib and North Slave Metis, but First Nations all across the country.
He quoted several sections of the agreement, which he said clearly shows the federal government remains intent on extinguishing treaty rights, including First Nations' rights to subsurface minerals such as the diamond fields located within Dogrib territory.
Hunting, fishing, and trapping rights will also be ceded under the agreement, said Paul.
"It is in complete disregard of the emerging norms of international law concerning the rights of indigenous people, and is a flagrant violation of the most recent progressive and authoritative jurisprudence in the inter-human rights courts," said Paul.
Both Paul and North Slave Metis' lawyer Janet Hutchinson said it has undergone many substantive changes since other versions were made public last fall and earlier this summer.
They said the most recent changes -- despite the three-month grace period --would make the agreement binding after initialling tomorrow instead of on the ratification date sometime next year, and preclude individual Dogrib treaty holders and Metis on band lists from opting out of it.
"The way that Tlicho (Dogrib) citizen and Tlicho First Nation is defined under this current draft final agreement does affect a significant number of the North Slave Metis Alliance membership," said Hutchinson.
"None of those members have been consulted on whether they are willing to agree to this wholesale surrender of their aboriginal treaty rights."
More legal action possible
Paul vowed to take similar legal action against the federal government, as the Akaitcho Nation Treaty 8 did, if the current agreement is allowed to stand. Dogrib chief negotiator John B. Zoe, was in Wha Ti yesterday awaiting the agreement initialling.
"These are trying times for everybody, especially for the Dogrib people," said Zoe. "There will be a lot of people misconstruing the agreement, but we know what's in there."
He added that their dispute with the Akaitcho and now the North Slave Metis is being exasperated by court challenges.
"They've (Akaitcho) taken us to court to stop the agreement," said Zoe. "You can't get any more confrontational than that. That's the consultation they chose."