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Less than complete control?

Antoine questions how far Deh Cho can go; Norwegian says process is more than a land claim

Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (July 18/03) - Although the Deh Cho Process has been described as unique, Jim Antoine questions whether it will ever amount to anything more than a comprehensive claim.

NNSL Photo

Jim Antoine: "They only have one policy in Ottawa and that's the comprehensive claims policy."


In an interview with the Drum, Antoine expressed doubt as to how far the Deh Cho First Nations will be able to push the negotiations envelope in its quest for self-government and land management.

"They only have one policy in Ottawa and that's the comprehensive claims policy," said Antoine, territorial minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

"They (the DCFN) are not going to go above and beyond the positions the Inuvialuit and other groups have negotiated."

If the Deh Cho's settlement is superior, other land claimant groups would turn to the federal government expecting an equivalent, Antoine suggested.

Herb Norwegian, grand chief of the DCFN, replied that it would be "ludicrous" to define the Deh Cho Process as a comprehensive claim.

"All the agreements that we have signed thus far makes it very clear that we're on the road to (becoming) a primary government," Norwegian said.

"In this day and age, people are not into extinguishing (aboriginal title). People are into making sure that their entire territorial or ancestral land is intact."

Although self-government negotiations will influence how the future of the region is shaped, Antoine said he's confident that a role will remain for the territorial government.

"If the precedent is there in other regions, I don't see a future (Deh Cho) government taking another position," Antoine said.

Norwegian responded that the DCFN's objective is to phase out the GNWT's responsibility.

"We would become the primary government. We would see the territorial government assisting in transferring a lot of that responsibility," he said.

Although the Dene and Metis would primarily oversee land management and government programs and services in the coming years, Norwegian said non-aboriginals will still be involved in the "partnership."