Grand chief taking over Dehcho Process talks
Contract over for now former lead negotiator Garth Wallbridge
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, November 3, 2016
DEH CHO
Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief Herb Norwegian has been appointed the interim chief negotiator on the Dehcho Process after a meeting of leaders in West Point agreed to part ways with lead negotiator Garth Wallbridge.
Dehcho First Nations Chief Herb Norwegian will be serving as interim chief negotiator for the Dehcho Process. - April Hudson/NNSL photo
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The decision came during Dehcho First Nations' fall leadership meeting, which ran from Oct. 25 to 27.
Norwegian said the decision to terminate Wallbridge's contract was made internally.
"He was a contractor and we just ended the contract," he said.
"It was an internal decision by the leadership, and so (we) just wanted to leave it at that."
Although Norwegian will be stepping into the role as interim chief negotiator, he said Dehcho First Nations is not actively looking for a permanent
replacement right now.
He expects to lead negotiations at least until springtime, at which point he said the leadership may review the position.
"(We will) then decide whether we need to again go through a whole long, drawn-out process of trying to pick someone (for chief negotiator)," he said.
"It's really a leadership call, so that's where we're leaving it right now."
Dehcho First Nations is preparing for its next negotiating session in November.
A resolution passed during the leadership meeting hosted by West Point First Nation in Hay River includes a point stipulating that negotiation session be held in the Deh Cho instead of in Ottawa as originally planned.
An Oct. 28 news release from Dehcho First Nation calls the upcoming negotiations "the final phase" of negotiations for an agreement-in-principle, with lands and governance being the last two issues to be resolved.
"The critical sections on lands and resources remain largely unresolved as both Canada and the GNWT have dragged their feet and refused to engage in substantive negotiations," the news release states.
Norwegian said he's taking on the role of negotiator to "up the ante" on the Dehcho Process.
His appointment as chief negotiator would help keep the process running smoothly, he added.
"It's kind of a dual job," he said.
"As the grand chief, one of the roles I play is I'm a spokesperson for the Deh Cho communities."
As grand chief, his intimate knowledge of Dehcho First Nations' position on matters related to the process means he won't have to keep asking communities for political direction.
That, he said, means he can "fast-track" the process.
His appointment as chief negotiator would help keep the process running smoothly, he added.
"We have new governments in place and now we need to up the ante, roll up our sleeves and really get to (work) putting all the bits and pieces on the table," Norwegian said.
"Especially at this final stage here, we need to go all-out and be very clear about where we're heading."
According to the news release, Norwegian will be accompanied by a committee of three Dehcho First Nations members to attend the negotiations.
Dehcho First Nations also intends to call a special leadership meeting before the end of 2016 in order to discuss the negotiations.
Norwegian was first elected grand chief in 2003.
Prior to that, he worked on the Dehcho First Nations negotiating team between 1999 and 2003.
Efforts were made to reach Wallbridge on Nov. 1 but requests for an interview were not immediately acknowledged.
