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DENINU KU'E/FORT RESOLUTION
Fort Resolution's Deninu Ku'e First Nation will no longer be under federal co-management at the end of March.

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada imposed co-management on the band approximately three years ago when it was deep in debt.

Chief Louis Balsillie said much of the debt has now been eliminated and the financial situation of the band is much better.

Balsillie said, three years ago, the band had an accumulated debt of between $700,000 and $800,000, but that has been reduced to about $150,000.

"We were badly in the red," he said. "Now we're starting to see light," he said.

The band and the co-managers have worked hard, Balsillie said. "We've got to give ourselves a pat on the shoulder."

Once co-management ends, the goal will be to eliminate the remaining $150,000 debt, Balsillie said, adding that will hopefully be done within a year or so.

"We'll just carry on with what we've been doing," he added.

The band has been saving money in a number of ways, but mostly by not attending all meetings outside of Fort Resolution, such as Dene Nation leadership gatherings and assemblies.

"It's too expensive," Balsillie said of the out-of-town meetings, adding Deninu Ku'e will not attend Dene Nation gatherings unless that organization starts to pay delegates' expenses.

The co-management agreement between Deninu Ku'e and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada began with accountants travelling up from the south.

A year and a half ago, the co-management of the band was passed on to Annie Boucher, executive director of the Akaitcho Territory Government, under an arrangement between that organization and the federal department.

Balsillie said the change was made to save the travel expenses of the southern accountants.

The Akaitcho Territory Government has its head office in Fort Resolution.

Boucher is pleased with the way co-management has worked with Deninu Ku'e, noting she and the First Nation have to agree on expenses.

Boucher is Balsillie's stepsister, but both say their family relationship played no part in the co-management arrangement.

The other First Nations in the Akaitcho Territory Government approved her involvement in the co-management arrangement, Boucher said. "Direction was sought from the rest of the chiefs before I took it on."

Balsillie said there has been a very good working relationship between Deninu Ku'e and Boucher.

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