Yellowknife (Mar 10/04) - The Yellowknives Dene are disappointed with the decision to approve Snowfield Developments' application to proceed with diamond exploration in the Drybones Bay, Wool Bay and Gros Cap areas.

"I feel words don't mean a thing," said Yellowknives Dene Chief Peter Liske.

Peter Liske

"Again, the board has recommended something my elders are totally against. It's too close to home. What we're saying is Drybones is too sensitive and there should be no development taking place," Liske said.

The proposed exploration includes drilling 100 holes in five claim areas.

"Essentially, it's approved subject to conditions," said Roland Semjanovs, communications officer for the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board.

There are five recommendations and a number of suggestions included in MVEIRB's report. The recommendations have a regulatory requirement that must be followed. The suggestions, however, are up to government departments to follow up on.

Allan Barry, vice president of investor relations for Snowfield, said executives with the company are extremely happy with MVEIRB's decision.

"Now we can start planning toward development based on the restrictions in the ruling. We think we can live with our restrictions," said Barry.

Liske, however, said the Yellowknives Dene have not been properly consulted. He is not pleased with the entire process.

"These boards make recommendations and are doing work on Akaitcho land, and I think it's time we tacked a message onto these people," said Liske.

"We'll probably respond and bring up the issue. When we have our time, I'll be prepared," he said.

Recommendations and Suggestions

Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board recommendations and suggestions for Snowfield's exploration plan in the Drybones Bay, Wool Bay and Gros Cap areas:

Recommendation 1: Calls for a three-kilometre no-drill zone along the shoreline from Wool Bay to Gros Cap, where the Slave Lake hooks down the East Arm.

Recommendation 2: Snowfield must only use access routes within the three kilometre zone if the routes are scouted by a Dene elder and a qualified archaeologist.

Recommendation 3: Any drill site not within the three kilometre zone must also be scouted by an aboriginal elder and a qualified archaeologist for historical and culturally-sensitive areas and burial sites.

Recommendation 4: The aboriginal parties and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre will provide precise locations and extent of recorded archaeological, historical, burial or cultural sites to Snowfield for Snowfield's claim blocks.

Recommendation 5: Snowfield will maintain a 100-metre buffer zone around all known and suspected archaeological, burial or cultural sites.

Suggestion 1: INAC, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Government of the NWT should design and test a model for Crown consultations with aboriginal rights holders for developments in the Mackenzie Valley at the earliest possible date.

Suggestion 2: The government of Canada should develop and institute a method for participant funding at the environmental impact assessment level.

Suggestions 3: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada should consider establishing a prospecting permit approach in order to provide opportunities for input into staking and to avoid conflict over land use.

Suggestion 4: No new land-use permits should be issued for proposed development within the shoreline zone of Drybones Bay and Wool Bay. Furthermore, no new land permits for the area should be issued until the vision, objective and management goals are implemented, based on the resource and cultural values for the area.

Suggestion 5: The federal and territorial government should organize and conduct thorough cultural, archaeological and burial site surveys of the area extending from the western headland of Wool Bay to the southern tip of Gros Cap within the shoreline zone. This suggestion is to be undertaken in consort with aboriginal communities in the area.