YELLOWKNIFE - After being in the firing line of Akaitcho chiefs last Wednesday, Premier Joe Handley appeared unconcerned about calls he be removed from the government and the suggestion from Yellowknives Dene Chief Peter Liske that he, "Go back to Saskatchewan where he came from."

Premier Joe Handley has been trying to negotiate a devolution agreement with the federal government. - NNSL file photo

"To personalize this, it reflects some of the frustration they feel, making no headway (with their land claim)," Handley said before session of the legislative assembly Thursday.

The day before, Liske, joined by Chiefs Fred Sangris, Bill Norn and Addie Jonasson, called on other MLAs to send Handley packing from the assembly in the wake of an agreement-in-principle (AIP) on resource revenue sharing and devolution signed without their participation. Signatory aboriginal governments included the Sahtu, Inuvialuit, Gwich'in and Metis.

Handley has referred to the AIP as inclusive and said the door was open for the Dehcho, Tlicho and Akaitcho to get on board. However, it is unlikely the Akaitcho will as its chiefs have accused the premier of sabotaging their land claim process, lying to their people and going behind their backs to make the deal.

"The premier has gone too far, he's in a make believe world," said Yellowknives Dene Chief Fred Sangris. "He's killing the Akaitcho process, conspiring to shut down negotiations. He lied to the community (and) lied to the elders."

On all fronts, Handley rejected the chiefs' claims, in particular the accusation that the government kept the Akaitcho in the dark on the AIP negotiations.

"I disagree totally with that. We had a meeting in December (2006) and Fred Sangris was there," said Handley. "The Akaitcho have always had the opportunity to be involved."

The premier also brushed off the chiefs' suggestion that since it was their people who voted him into office, he was beholden only to them.

"Welehdeh does include Dettah and Ndilo (Yellowknives Dene territory) also Yellowknife so I don't just represent the Akaitcho, I've got to consider the needs and requirements of all constituents," said Handley. "And as premier, I've got to do what's best for the North."

Under the AIP, aboriginal governments will receive 25 per cent of the net fiscal benefit of whatever portion of resource royalties the federal government decides to share with the NWT. Following the 2007 federal budget, the territorial government remains confident its share will be around 50 per cent. Last year the federal government reaped $220 million, primarily from the NWT's robust diamond industry.

The numbers don't add up for the Dehcho First Nation who called the AIP an insult to the North,

The percentage of revenues being offered isn't large enough for the Dehcho territory to sustain itself, said Grand Chief Herb Norwegian.

"This is really pathetic. It's crumbs," he said.

"It's a territorial wide peanut scramble that everyone is trying to get involved in."

Norwegian said the Dehcho First Nations also have a problem with the principal of the agreement.

Revenue sharing is a bilateral issue between Canada and First Nations, said Norwegian. The Dehcho First Nations (DFN) will discuss resource revenue sharing directly with the federal government as part of our negotiations, he said.

"We think that by keeping all these arrangements at the table we'd be able to get good deals and be able to negotiate it properly and have it unilaterally transferred to the Dehcho," he said.

By making this agreement, the territorial government and Premier Joe Handley are trying to undermine DFN's negotiation position, said Norwegian.

"These guys can't be trusted as far as you can throw them," he said.

Premier Joe Handley said he couldn't see how the agreement would undermine DFN. Nothing has been taken away or changed at all for them, said Handley.

Handley said the Dehcho, Akaitcho and Tlicho are welcome to join anytime, but if they don't sign on it won't effect the agreement.

Although some people might say 25 per cent isn't much, Handley said it's a good deal.

"Twenty-five per cent of what we get is a lot more than anyone is getting now which is zero," he said.

- With files from Roxanna Thompson