Fort Simpson (Jun 02/06) - Imperial Oil has cancelled negotiations on access and benefits agreements with the Dehgah Alliance Society.

The company is asking for clarification on which groups the Dehgah Alliance Society (DAS) and the East Dehcho Alliance represent before they move forward with negotiations, company spokesperson Pius Rolheiser said.

In a letter sent to DAS on May 18, Imperial cancelled the next negotiating sessions scheduled for May 23-25 in Fort Smith.

In the past few weeks, Imperial has become aware that some groups represented by DAS are dissatisfied with the society, Rolheiser said. They have approached Imperial wanting to negotiate individually, he said. "We just want to be clear who we are negotiating with and who these societies are representing."

Keyna Norwegian, president of the Dehgah Alliance Society, confirmed that Pehdzeh Ki First Nation of Wrigley has left the society.

Although Wrigley pulled away in December, Norwegian said DAS assumed that Gabe Hardisty, who was elected chief in February, would be involved in the society.

Prior to the Joint Review Panel's hearings in Fort Simpson, Norwegian said the society received a letter saying the Pehdzeh Ki would be negotiating on their own.

The remaining members of DAS are the Liidlii Kue First Nations, Jean Marie River, Kakisa and the Fort Simpson Metis Nation.

This leaves DAS, Wrigley, Trout Lake and the East Dehcho Alliance all seeking access and benefits agreements in the Deh Cho.

"It's not prudent or it's not feasible to negotiate with each and ever group individually," Rolheiser said.

Imperial would prefer to negotiate with communities through a society, Rolheiser said. But Imperial will wait for the communities to clarify their positions before making a decision on negotiations. The company also cancelled the negotiations because of concerns over confidentiality, Rolheiser said.

On May 10 at the Joint Review Panel in Fort Simpson, DAS gave the panel draft access and benefits agreements from Imperial to put on the public registry.

This action is considered "inappropriate" by Imperial, Rolheiser said. "Imperial would like to have to some certainty or some confidence that in the future, confidential information it provides to the Dehgah Alliance Society will be held confidential," he said.

Norwegian said she doesn't regret the decision to try and make the agreements public.

"We want to continue to show the other regions that we're willing to share any information we have with everybody," she said.

Norwegian added that the society feels the one time fee being offered to the Deh Cho is not adequate. DAS wants an annual income from the pipeline.

Despite cancelling the negotiating session, Rolheiser said Imperial is still committed to negotiating access and benefits agreements in the Deh Cho.

"We haven't pulled the pin on the process here," Rolheiser said.