Thorunn Howatt & Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 05/01) - Acho Dene Koe Chief Judy Kotchea and members of the Fort Liard band council signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding Tuesday dealing with economic and social matters, including pipeline ownership and land access.

Acho Dene Koe Chief Judy Kotchea signed a memorandum of understanding in Fort Liard. The document from last June is an agreement that includes regions involved with the Aboriginal Pipeline Group and the Mackenzie Delta Producers Group. - NNSL file photo

The memorandum drafted last June is an agreement between the regions involved with the Aboriginal Pipeline Group and the Mackenzie Delta Producers Group.

"I believe that everyone is going to sign up sooner or later," said Honorary Chief Harry Deneron referring to the Deh Cho region's refusal to sign the memorandum.

Last month at an assembly meeting in Wrigley Deh Cho groups agreed to put off signing the document. Instead they put forward a resolution covering economic and environmental policies. The Deh Cho region does not have a settled land claim.

"In Kakisa we listened, in Wrigley in August we listened again, and we respected the voices of the four impacted community chiefs," said Chief Judy Kotchea. If the band is to participate in building the Mackenzie Valley Natural Gas Pipeline then it must move forward, said Kotchea. "We want our people, especially our young people to have long-term benefits."

Michael Nadli, grand chief of the DCFN, said the Acho Dene Koe's actions won't divert him from his objectives.

"My mandate is from the Wrigley special assembly. This (MOU signing) is from one community in the region, it's not the majority ... clearly their principles are inconsistent (with the rest of the region)," said Nadli.

Nadli acknowledged that the ADK were given jurisdiction over their own lands by the DCFN chiefs in May, but he said that was to allow them to deal with traditional territory overlap issues in B.C. and the Yukon. It was not intended to relate to pipeline affairs, he said.

"They have misconstrued it ... that's their prerogative," he said. "But Liard is not on the (pipeline) right-of-way of impact."

The signing ceremony included Nellie Cournoyea of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and chair of the Aboriginal Pipeline Group, Bob McLeod, deputy minister of Economic Development and Resources, and Richard Nerysoo, chair of community mobilization.

"It is fitting that Liard is the first to sign this agreement because you are the furthest south and we are the furthest north," said Cournoyea to the members of Fort Liard council.