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DEH CHO - A high ranking official with Parks Canada has conceded that the agency didn't do enough to include Dehcho First Nations in an agreement that was signed with a mining company.

"I think we could have done a better job there," said Doug Stewart, the director-general of national parks for Parks Canada.

Canadian Zinc and Parks Canada have signed a co-operation agreement outlining how the Prairie Creek Mine and an expanded Nahanni National Park Reserve could co-exist. - NNSL file photo

Late last month Parks Canada and Canadian Zinc, which owns the Prairie Creek Mine site, entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the Nahanni National Park Reserve.

The co-operation agreement outlines how the agency and the company will respect each other's interests and ensure an operating mine and an expanded park can co-exist.

Prairie Creek, which hasn't begun operations, is located outside of the current boundaries for the Nahanni National Park Reserve (NNPR).

If the park is expanded, it could surround the mine site.

Stewart said Parks Canada has always intended to use and respect the processes it has in place with Dehcho First Nations (DFN). Parks Canada did provide DFN with information about the agreement through the Nahanni Expansion Working Group and the consensus team.

Stewart said he recognizes DFN's concerns and Parks Canada will be working with them to make DFN comfortable with the agreement and what it means.

"The relationship is really important to us, it's one that we really value," said Stewart.

When Dehcho First Nations learned about the agreement Grand Chief Jerry Antoine publicly objected to not being included in the process.

"One thing that people have to realize is that the Dehcho is here and that the Dehcho means business," Antoine said.

Antoine said DFN has always been transparent about the work they're doing on the park reserve and DFN has to be contacted on any work that's being done in the Deh Cho.

"We've attempted to build trust and work with Canada," he said.

"However, the way Canada continues in making agreements fails to honour what we're trying to build."

DFN is discussing its position with regards to the Prairie Creek Mine being in or near the park reserve, said Antoine.

DFN has long held the mine is a threat to the ecological integrity of the South Nahanni watershed.

Parks Canada has found itself in uncharted waters in the relationship between Canadian Zinc and the park reserve.

"This is really a unique circumstance for Parks Canada," said Stewart.

No existing Canadian national park has an active mine inside of it. There are also no other examples of a mine that could be surrounded by a national park.

Parks Canada started working on the MOU in response to a formal suggestion made by Canadian Zinc a year ago.

Stewart said both parties saw the benefits of developing an understanding before the park is expanded and there's a shared boundary to deal with.

The agreement addresses two questions - what are the best practices for the co-existence of a mine and a park reserve and how the winter road will allow access to the mine site.

It is "a basic formula for co-existence," Stewart said.

The MOU allows for exploratory-type work and if the park reserve expands a second, more operational agreement could be signed, he said.

The document hasn't been made public. It isn't considered legally binding and can be terminated by either party after three months written notice.

Canadian Zinc representatives weren't available to comment before press time.

In a press release from July 31, John Kearney, chair of Canadian Zinc, said the company is pleased to have signed the co-operation agreement.

Kearney said the agreement will facilitate both parties achieving their mutual goals, he said.

Canadian Zinc believes the Prairie Creek Mine can co-exist with the expanded park and if properly planned, the park won't interfere with the operation of the mine.