ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
Chief Harry Deneron is optimistic about the changes the next 12 months could bring for Fort Liard.

Chief Harry Deneron: Acho Dene Koe First Nation supports devolution. - NNSL file photo

On Feb. 13, Deneron, the chief of Acho Dene Koe First Nation (ADK), signed an agreement-in-principal with Premier Bob McLeod for the community's land claim and self-government process. Deneron expects the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada to sign the same agreement on behalf of the federal government imminently.

With the agreement-in-principal finished, Deneron said it could take less than a year to reach the final agreement.

"It's going to be hard work, but we think we can do it," he said.

One of the next steps will be to consult with members of the First Nation and the Fort Liard Metis, possibly one-on-one. Because the idea of land claims have been discussed for about 40 years with no previous progress, some people don't realize how far the Fort Liard process has come, Deneron said.

"People have just given up on that hope," he said.

"They also don't believe it."

While negotiations are underway discussions will also begin on land selection. A lot of community members are interested in the work of the land selection committee, he said. ADK and the Fort Liard Metis are planning on choosing their land in one block.

The issue of land also touches on one of the unresolved issues related to the Fort Liard process.

The final agreement is subject to a court-ordered consultation process. In November 2010, the Nahanni Butte and the Sambaa K'e Dene Bands jointly filed an application for judicial review of the federal government's decision not to consult with them prior to signing a land claim agreement-in-principal with ADK. The three First Nations have traditional lands that overlap.

In her findings, Justice Anne Mactavish ruled that once an agreement-in-principal was reached, the federal government has a duty to, "engage in deep, meaningful and adequate consultation" with Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte. The two bands, according to a press release they send out after the February signing, strongly object to the proposed size and geographic extent of the settlement area as well as the selection of fee simple lands, lands ADK and the Fort Liard Metis would own, within the Nahanni Butte and Trout Lake First Nations' primary land use areas.

Deneron is hoping that consultation can be achieved through the use of a mediator. He wants to meet with Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte in the next few months and will also be inviting Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief Herb Norwegian.

"Hopefully, this is where we're going to address some of these problems," he said.

Deneron would like to see the mediation go quickly.

"We don't have the money to drag this out," he said.

Deneron hopes to explain some of ADK's perspectives including on the area they are claiming as their traditional land.

The federal government has offered ADK 6,474 square km, which is a very small parcel, said Deneron, considering ADK considers approximately 18,751 square kilometers of the NWT to be their traditional territory.

"Our boundary was sketched out by the elders," he said.

A lot of ADK's traditional territory also has third party interests such as oil and gas and mineral leases on it, which means the First Nation can't select it, he said.

"I'm hoping they understand and support it in the end," he said.

Devolution is another reason Deneron thinks the Fort Liard final agreement can be finished in such a short time frame.

"Devolution is about resource development," he said.

"We totally support it."

Because Fort Liard's agreement-in-principal and devolution are happening at the same time, Deneron said it should be easy to understand how the Fort Liard self-government will work with the territorial government and its new powers. ADK will be looking at its own development opportunities after its final agreement is settled.

"It's much needed," said Deneron.

"We're tired of living off of government funds."

The First Nation needs funds to train young members and alleviate one of the concerns residents have about self-government. People are worried that Fort Liard doesn't have the staff to be self-governing, he said.

The community needs to tackle this problem by injecting money into training and education because the territorial and federal governments won't do it for us, Deneron said.

With the agreement-in-principal signed Deneron said he hopes more Fort Liard residents will realize self-government and land claims are happening and get involved.