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PEHDZEH KI/WRIGLEY - Former Pehdzeh Ki First Nations Chief Tim Lennie says more discussion is needed within their community about self-governance.

Rumors have circulated recently about the Pehdzeh Ki First Nations (PKFN) discussing separation from the Dehcho Process to pursue self-governance, but Lennie said it is nothing new.

"It's been discussed for a number of years," he said. "It's about defining our self-government, especially with regards to natural resources."

Lennie said the more regional approach to land claims issues in the Dehcho is going to hurt the individual first nations in the long run.

"Everything is a more regional base towards governance and the communities are getting worried because they are going to be losing some powers," he said. " I think the community needs to collectively get together and discuss these issues. Every community has their own initiatives and issues they need to deal with and that's the actual harder stuff to deal with at this level.

"We're forced into a collective group. We tend to lose a lot of things and the culture becomes diluted.

Besides a loss of culture Lennie said the regional approach to First Nations is centralizing resources, leaving smaller communities like Pehdzeh Ki fighting for survival.

"We don't have a nurse, we don't have a cop, we don't even have people," he said. "It's getting our people back and doing our own thing rather than be governed. We want to govern ourselves."

Pehdzeh Ki First Nations Chief Darcy E. Moses said self-government will allow them more say on community issues like health, transportation and social services. It will also allow them to attract a more skilled workforce.

"All the well-educated and trained people left because they could get better jobs with the government and we can't compete with that because we don't haveenough resources," said Moses. "Right now we're just juggling what funding we get to make it to the end of the year it's difficult."

If the First Nation were to go through with their own self-government process it would be following suit with the Acho Dene Koe First Nations (ADKFN) which announced in mid-July it was leaving the Dehcho First Nations to assert their independence.

Dehcho First Nations agreed to negotiate a comprehensive land claim with the federal government involving land selection two weeks before Acho Dene Koe decided to break away from the process. Lennie said he doesn't think of the Dehcho Process as a land claims agreement and isn't happy with the decision to negotiate with the feds.

"We realize occupancy is nine-tenths of the law and we have occupied this land," he said.

Moses said he isn't very pleased with the idea of land selection and has heard outcry from elders and youth in the community about it. With Acho Dene Koe First Nations leaving the Dehcho Process, he added he senses instability.

"It's risky business now that Liard pulled away," he said. "It's opened the doors towards self-governance and weakening the Dehcho Process. We're one nation but it's pretty hard when we're fighting amongst ourselves in this game."

Lennie said he doesn't completely understand the land selection due to a lack of communication from the Dehcho First Nations. He said people in his community are in the dark on a lot of things.

"It just doesn't concern people anymore, they just don't care," he said. "There is a lack of communication ... and it's been a problem for a number of years. "If there was a land claim agreement negotiated today, I wouldn't be able to tell you what has been going on. It's hard to get a full picture of what's really happening."

Grand Chief Jerry Antoine wasn't available for comment at press time.