Yellowknife (July 14/04) - Each side of the Snap Lake negotiating table is waiting for the other to blink.

Chief Peter Liske with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation says De Beers Canada has been bargaining in bad faith and has not responded to his call to come back to the negotiating table over aboriginal impact benefit agreements.

Chief Peter Liske

De Beers spokeswoman Linda Dorrington denies the diamond giant has been negotiating in bad faith and adds an offer is now on the table and De Beers is awaiting a response.

"My understanding is we have tabled offers on the financial component and our door is open to come and talk about the offer," said Dorrington.

At the same time, Liske stated "a lot of things can happen" if De Beers doesn't show some flexibility. Two weeks ago, Liske promised to take drastic action to stop the diamond mining project, stating De Beers was playing hardball over impact benefit negotiations.

Dorrington said the aboriginal leadership has to understand that Snap Lake is not as large a diamond mine as either Diavik or Ekati, and that expectations have to be lowered.

"Our revenues will be less, and we have to structure our impact benefit agreements with aboriginal groups in accordance with the scale," said Dorrington.

An impact benefit agreement is an "undertaking with regard to the environment and our undertaking to protect aboriginal culture and their value system," said Dorrington. "Typically, it would include things like job opportunities, business opportunities, training and skills development for the communities and environmental undertakings as well as financial compensation for loss of the use of the land," she said.

Liske concluded the two sides may get together by summer's end.