Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Aklavik (Jun 16/00) - What if they held a meeting and nobody came?

A number of Dene chiefs and band councillors were concerned about participation when they met last week in Aklavik to discuss the possible dissolution or restructuring of the Dene Nation, taxation, gun control and other issues.

"There are a lot of questions to ask," Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus said. "We need people to ask if we even need to continue as an organization."

Aklavik Indian Band Chief Charlie Furlong said an organizational review is long overdue.

"When we give mandates to organizations, we probably don't monitor them as close as we should and when the mandates run out, the associations just seem to linger," Furlong said.

"We have to determine whether or not that organization has outlived its purpose or can it be restructured to being a more effective tool on our behalf."

Newly-elected Fort Providence Chief Ron Bonnetrouge argued that there was no sense discussing motions and changes to the constitution when there weren't enough chiefs present to achieve quorum.

Erasmus urged his members to take the questions back to their communities for discussion. The leaders will then make any motions to disband or reorganize at the Dene National Assembly in July.

If the majority vote to disband, "Then the only thing I ask of you is to tell us how to wind it down," Erasmus said.

With some land claims settled and many in the works, the chief agreed with Furlong that the needs have changed over time, but he was seeking "alternatives -- not just criticism."

"I'm not married to this organization or this job -- I don't think any of us are," he added.

Gun laws

The group also discussed the new gun licensing and registration which comes into effect next year.

RCMP officer Ron Lemothe was on hand to answer questions and talked about how the department can best work with the communities.

"I'm not really here to debate whether this is a good law or a bad law, the fact is it is the law," Lemothe said. "It's going to come into effect on Jan. 1, 2001 and it means that everyone within our communities who are going to use a firearm, are going to have to have a licence."

As well, Lemothe said, by Jan. 1, 2003 all firearms will have to be registered.

Colville Lake Chief Richard Kochon said the new laws do not reflect the realistic needs of his people.

"This law is from the south, we are from the North," Kochon said in Slavey. "I'm wondering, 'Why do they want to do this?'"

"These guns that you make; you sold them to us and we've come to depend on them," Kochon scolded Lemothe. "We shouldn't make laws just to make money."

Erasmus later reaffirmed the Dene Nation's opposition to the new legislation, saying they may join the Inuit in filing suit against the law.

"If anyone has jurisdiction, it is ourselves. We are concerned about safety. We are concerned about violence with guns, but it shouldn't be imposed by a government that doesn't have the right to impose their laws upon us," he said.

Erasmus said he thought MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew should have opposed the law, but that she couldn't because of affiliation.

"I think the Liberal caucus was forced to vote a particular way and that's part of the federal system right now with the party line," he said.

The chiefs will meet again at the 30th Annual Dene Assembly in Deninu Kue (Fort Resolution) from July 20-29.