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DCFN gives approval

Formal signing of two agreements could take place in May

Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Providence (Feb 23/01) - They're almost ready sign on the dotted line.

The Deh Cho First Nations leadership voted unanimously in favour of initialling its Interim Measures Agreement and Draft Framework Agreement with the federal government last week.

The documents are still making their way through the DIAND (Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development) bureaucracy in Ottawa.

If the agreements are also approved by the federal government, a formal signing ceremony is expected to take place in the Deh Cho in May.

The Draft Framework Agreement outlines the topics for self-government negotiations.

The Interim Measures Agreement will allow First Nations to have some control over how Deh Cho lands are used during the negotiations process.

"I think you've got 95 per cent of what you wanted in these two agreements. That's as close to 100 per cent as you're going to get," DCFN chief negotiator Chris Reid told the delegates prior to their vote at a leadership meeting in Fort Providence.

As they did at a public information session on Feb. 11, Liidlii Kue First Nation members Gerry Antoine, Jonas Antoine and Arnold Hope voiced their concerns that the IMA is part of the federal government's plan to lead the DCFN into a comprehensive land claim. However, they didn't make much headway with their argument.

Fort Providence elder Ted Landry scolded those who objected to the IMA.

"Us elders, we said, 'Yes, we like it,'" he told the delegates. "If you don't like it you should go home and check it out again."

Chief Pat Martel, of the Hay River Reserve, also dismissed the few dissenters.

"You know you cannot satisfy everybody," he said. "We've got to go ahead... our elders sitting here with us, they want to see this," Martel said.

Elder Leo Norwegian noted that the Dene and Metis do not work together in some regions, but the two political factions were working side-by-side at the DCFN's leadership table in Fort Providence.

"It's very strong. Let's keep it together," he said. "Let's keep it going."

Reid noted that the self-government negotiations process could fall apart at any time over the next few years.

A strong IMA will at least allow economic development to proceed on the DCFN's terms, he said.