Fort Simpson (Sep 10/04) - Deh Cho residents offered mix reaction to news of the Dehcho First Nations' lawsuit against the federal government.

The DFN is seeking two seats on a seven-member joint review panel, which will oversee a proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline. The organization was only granted one seat, and the single representative was selected by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board on the Dehcho's behalf.

Stan Sanguez, of Jean Marie River, said the government's policy in regard to the panel could have been more flexible.

He argued that it's the bureaucrats who are stonewalling.

"The federal government has to change policies to fit the needs of the First Nations," he said. "I'm in favour of the Dehcho First Nations (entering into) any litigation anywhere with the federal government as long as we get what we want. This is not a (Manuel) Norieyga country here, this is not a dictator country."

The Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act was forced upon the Dehcho, said Sanguez.

"We're not saying we don't want a pipeline, we're saying we want an equal partnership," he said.

In Fort Simpson, Ernest Cazon was pessimistic about the prospects of a successful lawsuit. He noted that futile attempts were made to halt the oil pipeline from Norman Wells in the 1980s.

"There were some people saying they would have laid down their lives. Some of those who said that are still sitting around the table as chiefs," Cazon said. "No matter what they do, I just think the pipeline is just going to go through anyways."

Gabe Hardisty, of Wrigley, contended that the Dehcho First Nations is doing the right thing.

"The federal government is always hiding behind somebody else's skirt. That's enough of that bulls---. So is the territorial government, same thing," Hardisty said.

"Why are they denying us all the time? If we don't have anybody there, then we're going to have to go to court and stop what's going on until people wake up and find out that the Dene people are right, they've been here longer than anybody else."