YELLOWKNIFE - Tlicho chiefs rebuked territorial Environment Minister Michael McLeod for his handling of the barren ground caribou file, saying no decisions that could affect any wildlife or Tlicho rights in their territory should be made until McLeod consults with them.

"Proper consultation is proper consultation so if (the environment ministry) has to reverse their decision to show the respect to aboriginal people, they should do the proper thing," Tlicho Grand Chief George Mackenzie said at We'keezhii Renewable Resource Board (WRRB) hearings on the matter in Behchoko Wednesday.

"It's not a full, proper proposal until they consult with us."

Prior to Environment and Natural Resources' December 2006 caribou conservation recommendations to the WRRB, there was no contact between the Tlicho government and the GNWT. Under the Tlicho Agreement, before any decisions or recommendations are made to Tlicho boards (We'keezhii Renewable Resources Board or We'keezhii Land and Water Board) the protocol is consultation between the relevant minister and Tlicho Chiefs.

The ENR recommendations for measures to protect caribou herds the department says are in a population nose-dive, had big game outfitters crying foul due to drastic reductions in their caribou tags. In an attempt to salvage this year's outfitter season, on Jan. 18 McLeod reversed his original recommendation that tag limits be reduced from 1243 to 350 and allowed the $4 million a year industry 750 tags while the WRRB considered the original recommendations.

As hearings proceeded, outfitters made their case to the WRRB that their hunting practices and portion of the annual harvest - 727 of an estimated total of 5744 animals harvested - were a benefit to herd conservation rather than detrimental.

However, American outfitter John Andre, owner of two outfitting operations in the region, added more controversy by deconstructing ENR's own caribou statistics to illustrate his position that the Bathurst caribou herd is stable and not, as ENR asserts, in decline.

"This is a conspiracy by elements in the ENR department who want to stop development by creating a protected calving ground," said Andre.

Andre's presentation convinced Behchoko Chief Leon Lafferty that ENR caribou statistics did not paint a full picture of what was happening.

"John Andre's numbers make more sense than ENR numbers, so we've had two caribou conferences all based on ENR information and now we're wondering if that information is valid or not," he said. "We need to really look at this before we make any recommendations... we can't just kill an industry based on ENR information."

Lafferty's words along with Mackenzie's suggestion that the Tlicho and outfitters could work collectively to protect the herd appeared to give outfitters some assurance they would not be wiped out by tag limits.

"If the outfitters respect our rights, our land claim agreement and self-government, then I think we can work together," said Mackenzie.

Jim Peterson, president of the Barren Ground Caribou Outfitters Association, thanked both the board and Tlicho chiefs for allowing outfitters to take part in the hearings and echoed the chiefs' position on ENR's lack of consultation.

"This is the first time we've had meaningful participation on this issue and for that I thank you," he said.

"We will sacrifice ourselves if it comes to that but I think we can have a good future together... this bonding between the Tlicho and outfitters, this is a new start."

Susan Fleck, director of wildlife for ENR, represented the department at the two-day hearings supported by biologists and a lawyer. Neither McLeod or Deputy Minister Bob Bailey were in attendance.