LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
A group of youth have clearly stated that they want to have a role in Dehcho First Nations (DFN).

Violet Jumbo, left, gives a presentation of Dehcho First Nations' language initiative as Josh Bertrand of Nahanni Butte listens during the final day of Dehcho First Nations' Youth Council held in Fort Simpson April 4 to 6. - photo courtesy of Dehcho First Nations

DFN held a youth council April 4 to 6 in Fort Simpson. Approximately 20 youth from six communities ranging in age from 16 to 25 participated.

"It's trying to get their input on a lot of different issues and getting information out to them," said Dahti Tsetso, DFN's resource management co-ordinator who led some of the sessions during the council.

The leadership and elders have continued to say that they want to get youth involved in the work and decisions DFN is making. The ongoing question has been how to do that, she said.

DFN used to have a youth council and this event was organized as a pilot to see if it should be revived. The answer from the weekend's participants was a unanimous yes.

DFN should have a youth council so youth can get involved, learn and give their opinion, said Donovan Punch on the second day of the event.

Punch, 20, from Trout Lake said he wanted to come to the council, "to learn more about our government and how it works."

Over the course of the weekend, participants listened to presentations on a variety of regional issues and were asked to give their input on them.

Devolution and the changes to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act (MVRMA) was the topic Punch was the most interested in. Almost all of the information that was discussed was new to him.

Participants were asked if DFN should sign onto devolution.

"It was a pretty even split," said Tsetso.

The youth wrote down their reasons for being for and against the signing and they were similar to the ones the leadership have, she said.

"It was awesome to listen to their thoughts," said Tsetso.

Punch said no. DFN needs to settle its land claims and the Dehcho Process first so that it knows what it is doing before signing devolution, he said.

Bradley Thom, 18, had a similar reasoning. DFN isn't ready for devolution because its land claims aren't settled, he said.

Other reasons for not signing devolution given by the youth included, "no, because it's going to start changing the land" and "no, so that the people that didn't sign up for devolution can manage their own land, water and resources of the NWT."

Thom was one of three youth who attended the council from Fort Providence.

"I thought it was very interesting and informative," he said.

Thom had heard a bit about Bill C15 and the Dehcho Land Use Plan before, but never in much detail. He said the information being presented at the council was allowing him to put all of the facts together.

While learning about the changes to the MVRMA and DFN's position regarding them, the youth were asked about one concern they had about the changes. Their answers were well thought out.

"The chair is a very powerful and important role so not being able to choose who the chair is not very good for the aboriginal side. What if the appointed chair is not fair? What if the chair is biased against the aboriginal people," Thom wrote in his response.

Other concerns included "you cannot make a claim without negotiating with our people" and "the First Nation board voice may not be as strong, their opinion and input might not be as important."

Thom's favourite topic of the weekend was the land use plan, which DFN Grand Chief Herb Norwegian presented on.

"I just liked the stories he was telling and how the map came to be," Thom said.

Holding a pilot council was a good idea because the elders always say that the youth are the next generation and they will be the future leaders and soon everything will be up to them, he said.

Both Punch and Thom said they would be interested in joining the youth council if it is revived.