Fort Simpson (Mar 14/03) - While media reports and industry experts continue to speculate on the feasibility of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline, nothing has changed in the Deh Cho, according to Grand Chief Michael Nadli.

Nadli told the Deh Cho Drum that terms and conditions set out at a special assembly in Wrigley in September 2001 still have not been met. Deh Cho leaders and elders have demanded that, among other things, the Deh Cho play a significant role in any environmental assessment and that impact benefits agreements (IBAs) and access fees be negotiated.

"Industry, namely Imperial (Oil), is continuing to ignore our special assembly resolution from Wrigley," Nadli said. "Once they (the conditions) are met, we'll certainly roll out the red carpet. Until that time we'll just sit tight."

Although the DCFN has agreed to an Interim Resource Development Agreement (IRDA) with the federal government, it sets a "minimum precedent," Nadli said. There's still room for industry to contribute, he added.

"Resource revenue sharing, if it's done right, could finance a First Nations' government so it's not dependent on the government any more," he said.

Preliminary pipeline work through the Mackenzie Gas Project has not proven substantial but it's been divisive, according to Nadli.

"They're just basically piecemealing us, throwing us little scraps in the form of contracts," he said. "That's how they're waging the battle against our communities. What's inevitably happening is that some of our communities are falling for that."

The DCFN, he noted, is not endorsing the Aboriginal Pipeline Group or the Northern Route Gas Pipeline Corporation at this point. In his speech at the Arctic Gas Symposium in Calgary last week, Nadli said: "Our common sense logic at this point is to set the stage for oil and gas exploration first rather than embrace a pipeline pumping someone else's gas over our territory."

Spokespersons for Imperial Oil weren't available for comment prior to press deadline.