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No assembly for Liard

Nadli upset over 'failure' label; Bertrand says Liard pressing to resolve boundary overlap

Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 18/02) - Due to a letter labelling the Deh Cho Process a "failure," the Deh Cho First Nations' executive committee has decided to relocate the fall leadership assembly to Fort Providence.

Michael Nadli, Grand Chief of the Deh Cho First Nations (DCFN), said he was disappointed to learn secondhand of the Acho Dene Koe (ADK) letter, which was signed by Acho Dene Koe Chief Floyd Bertrand.

The correspondence, dated Aug. 29, was sent by the ADK to the Wrigley and Nahanni Butte First Nations.

"It was quite critical of the (Deh Cho) Process," Nadli said.

"I take offence to those kinds of letters."

Bertrand replied that a reference in the letter to the Deh Cho Process being a failure was not what was intended.

"I mis-worded my letter, I guess. I meant to say something other than that," he said in an interview Tuesday.

Bertrand said his motivation for sending the letter was to ascertain whether, like the ADK, the Nahanni Butte and Wrigley First Nations also have traditional territory overlap issues with the Yukon.

He said Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Robert Nault indicated in early August that the Yukon boundary dispute could be resolved more efficiently if all affected First Nations were involved.

"It wouldn't take anybody out of the Deh Cho Process," Bertrand explained.

"It's a claim on the Yukon side, not the NWT."

The ADK want to wrap up the overlap concerns prior to settlement of the Deh Cho Process, expected to take several more years, because Fort Liard is losing out on resources currently being exploited by Yukon and B.C. First Nations.

Nadli argued that he has always been supportive of the ADK and has even offered his services in attempting to resolve the ADK's overlap issues with the Yukon and B.C.

Bertrand contended that since he became Fort Liard's chief in May, Nadli has made no such overtures.

Nevertheless, Bertrand said he and other ADK delegates will still attend the leadership assembly in Fort Providence.

Nadli said they won't be turned away.

"The doors are open. They're members of the DCFN."

A secondary reason for moving the leadership assembly to Fort Providence, according to Nadli, is the possibility of a joint chiefs meeting with the Dogrib to discuss the Horn Plateau boundary issue.

Fort Providence is closer to the Dogrib region than is Fort Liard.