Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (July 05/02) - The land is worth more than money; the land will be here forever.

That's something Fort Simpson elder Leo Norwegian said he never forgets. However, some others at last week's Deh Cho Assembly, arguing over money, have apparently lost sight of the goal of the 1993 Deh Cho Declaration, according to Norwegian.

"There are a few people pulling in the wrong direction with money in their head," he said. "Back in 1993 nobody mentioned who was going to handle the money and who was going to be the boss of it."

To make sure everyone is "living under one house," Norwegian said they must sit down and talk through their differences.

"If we're going to throw sledgehammers at each other, we're not going to get anywhere," he said.

The aim of self-government is to blend modern ways with Dene values and customs, he explained.

"We work together, young people and older (ones), even the non-Dene," he said. "(Self-government) will be good for non-Dene and Dene. This is what we're trying to do."

The focus on money arose three years ago with talk of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline, he said. He suggested that the Deh Cho should accept a percentage of royalties, even a small percentage, to provide a steady source of income. Other development could be limited until the region is organized and prepared, he said.

Norwegian admitted that his business acumen has been questioned because he has no formal education. However, he noted he ran his own taxi company and a small barging firm decades ago.

On the other hand, having been raised at Rabbitskin, a tributary of the Mackenzie River, his knowledge of the land is impeccable. Norwegian said the First Nations are wise to protect the Horn Plateau. There is fresh water flowing from lakes in that area, and such a precious resource may be in demand in the future, he noted.

"We don't say we own the land, the land owns us," he said.