Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 05/99) - Frustrated Akaitcho Treaty 8 chiefs have instructed their negotiator to halt all meetings with the federal government on treaty issues.

Over the past seven meetings with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Akaitcho Treaty 8 chief negotiator Sharon Venne decided that federal negotiators were trying to direct the chiefs into a comprehensive land claim model.

"After I briefed the Akaitcho chiefs on the meetings, they told me they wanted me to stop negotiations entirely," Venne said.

She said a land claim model is not a treaty because the Akaitcho would be expected to extinguish their land and treaty rights for something called "modern treaty rights."

"There's no such thing as a 'modern' treaty right. You either have a treaty right or you don't," Venne said.

She said the Akaitcho chiefs are all in agreement that extinguishment of their rights on the more than 300,000 square km of land that makes up the Akaitcho territory is not an option.

Venne said she is now looking at options such as appealing to the Senate Standing Committee on Governance, taking legal action and finding out what international support may be available.

"The federal government doesn't want to implement the treaty because it's a recognition that Dene people have rights on their land," she said.

"Implement Treaty 8, that's all the Dene are asking. The honour of the non-Dene living in Denedeh is at stake."

Venne said the moratorium on development within Akaitcho Treaty 8 territory will continue.

"The moratorium is not a bargaining chip. The chiefs are saying what's happening on the land while we negotiate treaty rights is unacceptable. Colomac and Giant mines are good examples of that," Venne said.

She said in the meantime, Akaitcho chiefs are discussing moratorium enforcement options.

"The federal government is continuing to issue licenses and permits in Akaitcho Territory and there will be implications to that. What those implications are, we don't know," Venne said.

DIAND Akaitcho Treaty 8 senior negotiator Pierre Laporte was surprised and disappointed by the Akaitcho chiefs' decision.

"It's an unfortunate development. We can't do anything if we're apart. We have to be talking to move ahead," Laporte said.

He said at this point they will consider sending a fact finder to the Akaitcho representatives to review what must be done to get everybody back to the table.

He agrees that the process of completing the framework agreement is complex, which adds to the frustration of those involved.

"The reason we're working so meticulously on this process is because we want an agreement that provides certainty for all parties," Laporte said.

"Everybody who lives here will be impacted by this agreement. That's why negotiations are so complex."