Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Nov 29/04) - Recent correspondence between Deh Cho and federal negotiators has been rife with adversarial exchanges, ultimatums and threats of ending self-government talks.

However, negotiations have not been severed, according to Campbell Morrison, press secretary to Andy Scott, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

"Other people may comment on their opinion of it, but it's not broken off," Scott said from Ottawa on Friday.

Chris Reid, legal counsel for Dehcho First Nations (DFN), said he could not comment on three recent meetings with federal officials due to a non-disclosure agreement.

The two sides had been trying to reach an out-of-court solution that would give the Deh Cho participation in an environmental assessment for a proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

Yet, Reid did reveal that the DFN now plans to move its two legal challenges against the federal government into "higher gear."

"As far as we know, this litigation is proceeding," he said. "There's no reason for them to sit back and think it's about to be settled."

In internal correspondence obtained by News/North, government lawyer Tim Christian informs Reid that Ottawa won't grant the Deh Cho a "veto" over a Mackenzie Valley pipeline in exchange for DFN suspending its court action.

"Canada will not capitulate to this ultimatum," Christian writes. "Canada must act in the interests of all Northerners and other Canadians. Should the ultimatum be left on the table, I will have no alternative but to recommend to the minister that the Dehcho process, the Interim Measures Agreement, the exploratory discussions and the Interim Resource Development Agreement be ended."

Reid responded with a Nov. 24 letter that accuses Indian Affairs of tabling ultimatums and hard-line positions, not the Deh Cho. He states that Ottawa has been unwilling to discuss DFN's proposals for making amendments to the Joint Review Panel, which will oversee the pipeline's environmental assessment.

"Canada is effectively taking the position that it has a veto over how the lands of the Dehcho First Nations will be used, but you refuse to even consider an equal role for the Dehcho First Nations communities in this critical decision," Reid writes.

"The Dehcho First Nations seek nothing more and nothing less than equality with Canada in determining how THEIR lands will be used."

Herb Norwegian, grand chief of the DFN, criticized Ottawa for sticking with the same position that was unanimously rejected by DFN leaders in August.

"The Dehcho will not be intimidated or bullied," Norwegian wrote in response to the potential termination of negotiations.