Hay River Reserve (Feb 17/06) - After years of talk and study, still more time is needed before a Dehcho land use plan is ready for approval.

A three-day regional forum last week on the Hay River Reserve was billed as the final opportunity to provide input into the plan - part of the Dehcho Process towards self-government - before it's submitted for approval by Dehcho First Nations, the GNWT and the federal government.

However, the plan is unlikely to be ready by a March 31 deadline, when government funding ends, because some communities are not satisfied that their concerns have been addressed.

"There may be some delays," said Heidi Wiebe, the executive director of the Dehcho Land Use Planning Committee.

Wiebe would not say it's a setback, just part of the revision process.

She said the plan will now be ready "as soon as possible."

The plan, which outlines land withdrawn from development in the Dehcho and activities permitted outside municipalities and Nahanni National Park Reserve, is already a year late. The original deadline was March 31, 2005.

During the forum, representatives of some communities suggested delays were necessary because people are still not fully informed.

Chief Keyna Norwegian of Liidlii Kue First Nation in Fort Simpson said a high percentage of people don't know what the land-use planning committee is all about.

Noting the process has been going on for four years and millions of dollars have been spent, Norwegian said it is "very disappointing" people still have questions.

"It just didn't get to the grassroots level," she said.

Chief Roy Fabian of K'atlodeeche First Nation (KFN) said he is surprised some communities are not ready to finalize the process.

"People were just not ready," he said. "You have to honour that."

Fabian said the KFN also has its own concerns. First, it would like the land-use coverage area to include its traditional land in Wood Buffalo National Park. Plus, he would like to see the plan deal more with Great Slave Lake.

Wiebe noted some communities want to get more direction from members and there are many different views on what the land use plan should look like.

The committee will consider the input and revise the plan.

She noted DIAND and the GNWT also have some technical legal and legislative concerns.

Adrian Boyd, the federal representative on the committee, offered hope that more money could be found to continue the land-use planning beyond March 31.

The annual operating budget for the committee, which was established in 2001, is about $800,000.

The Feb. 7-9 regional forum also heard from a number of companies and industry organizations, environmental groups and government departments.

In general, the message from industry was it wanted more land to be open for oil and gas and mineral exploration and development.

"They're complaining that our land withdrawal zones and conservation zones are too big," said Chief Karen Felker of West Point First Nation.

However, she said the amount of withdrawn land is not going to change.