Nadli optimistic agreements will be signed by spring
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Dec 15/00) - The Deh Cho First Nations is getting closer to finalizing details with the federal government.
Resource developments agreements -- which have not yet been defined -- between the DCFN and the feds may allow the interim measures agreement to be finalized.
DCFN chief negotiator Chris Reid said the DCFN has proposed the idea of the agreements, which would include resource revenue sharing, to the federal government.
"There's not an exhaustive list of what it would include. It's sort of an open ended thing ... from our point of view it would have to include resource revenue sharing," Reid said from Yellowknife, where a negotiations session took place on Dec. 6-7.
But the federal negotiators will need Cabinet approval to ratify any such agreement.
The issue of how the GNWT would be included in resource development agreements has yet to be addressed, said Reid.
Another hurdle negotiators made progress on last week is the DCFN's demand that no development be permitted on withdrawn lands.
"In the Deh Cho Process, land withdrawals are part of a planning process to protect ecologically sensitive areas," Reid explained.
The federal negotiators agreed to review the prohibition on development on a "parcel by parcel" basis in terms of the withdrawn lands, he noted.
"We getting close on that one too," Reid said, adding that officials from the National Energy Board (NEB) are expected to be present at the next negotiations session in January in Hay River.
The DCFN would like a guarantee that the NEB will not issue permits for seismic activity on withdrawn lands.
The DCFN still has a few outstanding issues with the GNWT, including tourism establishment licences. The DCFN is advocating prohibition on any new outfitters' cabins on withdrawn lands.
"They're resisting that," Reid said of the GNWT.
The DCFN also wants the support of affected First Nations to be required for any new outfitters cabins on non-withdrawn lands in the Deh Cho.
DCFN Grand Chief Michael Nadli said he's optimistic that the interim measures agreement and the draft framework agreement will be signed by spring.
That would pave the way for the second phase of self-government negotiations.
"I feel good about where we're going," said Nadli, who was to meet briefly with DIAND minister Robert Nault in Yellowknife on Monday.
