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Dogrib, DCFN reach agreement
by Arthur Milnes
FORT SIMPSON (Jan 23/98) - Years of disagreement over lands between the Dogrib Treaty 11 and the Deh Cho First Nations could soon be over.
DCFN Grand Chief Michael Nadli and Dogrib Grand Chief Joe Rabesca, along with affected local chiefs in their regions, signed a historic deal last week that is the first step in solving the dispute.
The age-old disagreement concerns lands around Fort Simpson, Wrigley, Fort Providence, Jean Marie River, Rae Lakes, Snare Lakes and Wha Ti.
"It was an historic day," Nadli said shortly after inking the agreement.
The two sides have agreed to set up a working group that must file a written report on the lands' overlap by March 31.
"It's an agreement with a timetable," Rabesca said. "When we talk to each other, we can do a lot together."
In the Deh Cho, former Liidlii Kue chief Herb Norwegian is heading up negotiations. On Tuesday, he said it is hoped that he and his Dogrib counterpart, Eddie Erasmus, could meet in about two weeks to start the process.
"What we are looking at in the Deh Cho is bringing together our political leaders and land users in a round-table (first)," he said. "We'll proceed from there." |