Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 24/98) - After months of delays, the North Slave Metis Alliance and BHP Diamonds have signed a landmark impact and benefits agreement.

The deal sets out terms and conditions on how Metis will benefit from BHP's Ekati diamond mine, which is scheduled to go into production in October.

The alliance represents Metis in Yellowknife, Rae-Edzo, Wha-ti, Rae Lakes, Snare Lake, Dettah and Ndilo. About 1,000, most in Yellowknife and Rae-Edzo, are eligible to be members of the North Slave Metis Alliance.

"This is the first agreement of its kind for the Metis in the North," alliance president Clem Paul said. "We look forward to working with BHP Diamonds to ensure jobs, training and business opportunities from the mine flow to our people."

Paul said the delay was largely due to efforts by the Metis Nation of the NWT to sign a separate agreement.

BHP president Jim Rothwell said: "We are very pleased to have established a new, mutually beneficial and long term relationship with the Metis people in the area impacted by our project."

Paul also said it was hoped an agreement could have been signed 18 months ago.

The alliance is the third aboriginal organization to work out a deal with BHP. The Akaitcho Treaty 8 and Dogrib Treaty 11 councils concluded negotiations and signed last year.

BHP and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association are still talking.

Details of agreements have not been released, but a year ago an Edmonton newspaper reported each of the two IBAs is worth $1 million per year for the life of the mine.

A source familiar with the negotiations told Yellowknifer that the million-dollar figure was accurate for the Treaty 8 agreement but that the Dogrib agreement was closer to $1.3 million.

The source said the alliance will get $300,000 per year over the life of the mine, plus several thousand dollars annually in scholarship funds and employment guarantees.