Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT LIARD (Feb 19/99) - The Acho Dene Koe, or Fort Liard Valley Band, is seeking its own comprehensive land claim.

Late last month, the band council passed a resolution to pursue a comprehensive land claim and a treaty, and it has since been passed along to the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Ottawa through the band's lawyer, Chief Harry Deneron acknowledged Monday.

Among the reasons for that decision, according to Deneron, is that the Yukon's Kaska First Nation is in the process of finalizing its land claim, and the Kaska has traditional land-use overlap issues with the Acho Dene Koe.

"If we don't go after our overlap interest in the Yukon, it just goes with (their) claim, and we don't have recourse," Deneron explained, adding that the place to resolve the issue is at the negotiating table, not by camping out in protest. "It's something we believe should be done soon...the land claim border comes right into Fort Liard and part of Nahanni National Park. The government of Canada is not willing to release anything in that area for the Kaska unless we're part of the discussion."

At the same time, he said the Acho Dene Koe want to be supportive of the Kaska First Nation for what it is about to accomplish. Similarly, the Dogribs should also be congratulated for their efforts, he suggested.

According to Deh Cho First Nations Grand Chief Michael Nadli, the Acho Dene Koe is currently a member of the Deh Cho First Nations (DCFN) from a tribal council point of view, but an inactive participant.

Deneron said he believes DCFN leadership should be dealing with the land overlap issue because "they've got all the money, but they seem not to budge."

Nadli, who is awaiting word from the federal government to begin formal self-government negotiations on behalf of the DCFN, said he has always had an open door policy with Deneron, but it has often been one-way communication. He noted that he met with Deneron on the land overlap issue in April of last year and told him, "If you need our resources, we're just a phone call away."

Further, Nadli said Deneron publicly endorsed the DCFN's common ground principles with the federal government in June. The Acho Dene Koe also sent four delegates to a special assembly in Fort Providence last October to partake in a decision to proceed with formal negotiations for self-government.

So when Nadli learned of the Acho Dene Koe's recent move towards a land claim, "it didn't disappoint me...it confused me," he said.

For DIAND to deal with an individual community, such as Fort Liard, on a comprehensive land claim would be unusual, said Dan Mandin of DIAND's Aboriginal and Territorial Relations.

"Ordinarily, we don't enter into comprehensive claims with single communities," he said. "Fort Liard, it had been our understanding that they were part of the Deh Cho First Nations...we haven't heard anything that they've opted out."

The Acho Dene Koe also has land overlap concerns with the Nahanni Butte Band to the north, the Trout Lake Band to the east -- both are members of the Deh Cho First Nations -- and with the Fort Nelson Band to the south.

"It's been carved up in so many places now...we're finding it very difficult to manoeuvre here," Deneron said.

Last year, there was a lengthy, costly and frustrating dispute with Nahanni Butte regarding a trapline, according to Deneron.

"It's 1999. Division is happening and stuff like that. Here, we're still fighting over our trapline...unreal," he said, adding that the band has actually been interested in a land claim since he was first elected in 1975.

In the meantime, new band leadership has recently been elected on the Yukon and B.C. sides. Negotiations will continue with them in hopes of resolving the issues face to face, he added.