Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Fort Resolution (Nov 12/01) - A South Slave dene band may set up a road block to assert control over lands it is claiming.

The Deninu Kue band of Fort Resolution is threatening to block any attempt to log timber in the area of the abandoned Pine Point mine.

Shannon Patterson warms up the sawmill founded by his father Eugene, in hopes that it can be put to work this winter. - Dave Sullivan/NNSL photo

All indications are that Patterson Sawmill of Hay River will be granted permission to cut 10,000 cubic metres.

The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Review Board recommended as much after conducting an environmental review of the project. Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Robert Nault may make the final decision as soon as this week. He has yet to reject a board recommendation.

In a press release issued last month, the Deninu Kue First Nation said it would take either "direct action or commence legal action" to question the MVEIRB's authority to make land use decisions in Akaitcho territory.

Last week Tu Nedhe MLA Steven Nitah, who represents Deninu Kue and Lutsel K'e, warned "to protect our interests, we are willing to blockade any advancement toward that area."

Sawmill owner Eugene Patterson said if his logging proposal is approved, he will start cutting.

"If the government gives us a permit, we're going to go there even if we have to have the RCMP with us," said the 81-year-old Patterson.

Patterson Sawmill is the latest business to be caught in the middle of jurisdictional disputes between the federal government and aboriginal groups with unsettled land claims.

The Pine Point area was part of a large tract of land extending from the South Slave into Saskatchewan and Alberta that the federal government ceded to Treaty 8 signatories a century ago.

Akaitcho Treaty 8 does not recognize the authority of the Mackenzie Valley board. As a group with an unsettled land claim, it says it has only observer status on the board.

"Why are the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit making decisions about what happens in our region?" said Sayine. "We don't tell them what should happen in their region."

An interim measures agreement, which provides Akaitcho bands a greater say in development on their lands while their claim is being negotiated, was signed June 28.

Schedules outlining the processes to be used to assess development proposals have yet to be finalized, said Deninu Kue negotiator Paul Boucher.

As a result of its interim measures agreement, the Deh Cho First Nation was given a seat on the Mackenzie Valley board. The federal government was also given another seat.

"We're not against development," said Boucher. "We're for responsible development, meaning that if someone wants to extract our resources, they have to come to us and make sure our community benefits."

Patterson said he has offered $100,000 to the band for the right to log the area. The band said that deal was for another parcel, which Patterson rejected.

In its ruling on the Patterson proposal, the board recommended the territorial government issue no more cutting authorizations until completing an inventory of timber stands in the area.