Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Monday, April 16, 2007

FORT SIMPSON - The Dehcho First Nations is viewing a planned military exercise in Fort Simpson as an invasion meant to intimidate the Dehcho people.

Operation Narwhal is meeting with resistance from Grand Chief Herb Norwegian.

Calling it an "exercise of intimidation by Canada on the Deh Cho," Norwegian said the Dehcho First Nations (DFN) oppose the exercise.

The DFN was not consulted about the operation, he said. Norwegian added he only found out about the exercise on April 12.

"I'm just shocked that they would do something like this," he said.

Operation Narwhal is a sovereignty operation being conducted by Canadian Forces in both Fort Simpson and Norman Wells, between April 16 to 27.

Approximately 40 military personnel will be stationed at the airport in Fort Simpson and 250 in Norman Wells. The personnel will secure the airports as part of a scenario that involves the Canadian Forces supporting the RCMP to counter a hypothetical terrorist threat to the Enbridge pipeline.

In light of DFN's opposition towards the Mackenzie Valley pipeline and the recent disagreement with the federal government about the Dehcho Land Use Plan, Norwegian said the Deh Cho was a poor choice of a location to host the exercise.

Norwegian said that Canada is using the exercise to send a message to the Dehcho that if they continue with their positions they should watch out.

"It almost seems as though it's psychological warfare and intimidating us," said Norwegian.

This is an old tactic that's been used for years, said Norwegian. He compared it to a historical First Nation tactic of lighting a circle of fire around valleys where their enemies were camped to mount pressure on them.

Despite any intentional or non-intentional intimidation from the government, the Dehcho First Nations will continue to stand firm on their positions, Norwegian said.

Operation Narwhal is following a historical precedent, said Norwegian.

Norwegian compares the current lack of consultation with the attitude the U.S. army took when it arrived in the area in the 1940's.

"It's a recurring nightmare for us," he said.

Norwegian is also protesting adding First Nation groups to the list of terrorist threats in a draft counter-insurgency manual by the Department of National Defence. The listing was brought to public attention earlier this month.

The federal government is calling First Nations terrorists, but we are actually trying to defend ourselves, said Norwegian. Norwegian said First Nations groups need to be consulted and brought on side for these types of exercises.

Without consultation the personnel who will be setting up camp at the village's airport won't be welcomed, he said.

"It's like from Afghanistan to the Deh Cho in plain daylight," said Norwegian.

Despite Norwegian's claims, according to Cpt. Bonnie Golbeck, a public affairs officer with Canada Command, the DFN was consulted during the planning phases of Operation Narwhal.

The exercise's director met with members of the Dehcho First Nations' office staff during the winter as part of a series of consultations, said Golbeck. Other groups that were consulted included the RCMP and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

During the planning stages of an exercise, people are encouraged to bring their concerns forward so there is a free exchange of information, said Golbeck.

"We're trying to be as informative as possible for what we're doing," she said.

The exercise has nothing to do with the Dehcho First Nations current relations with the federal government, said Golbeck. The exercise fills the Canadian Forces' mandate to help other government departments, in this case the RCMP in the context of a simulated threat, said Golbeck.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with anything outside of anything within the military purview in that area," she said.

Golbeck pointed out the exercise has been in the planning stages for two years.

"It has nothing to do with anything else going on in the North," she said.

The scenario also doesn't take into account the proposed Mackenzie Gas Project, said Golbeck. The scenario is based on a simulated threat by a terrorist organization on the existing oil and gas infrastructure in the Northwest Territories including the Enbridge pipeline.