Dehcho, GNWT paint different versions of meeting
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Monday, April 27, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
There are two versions emerging of how a meeting ended last week between Dehcho First Nations and the GNWT to try and move beyond their differences.
Grand Chief Herb Norwegian told News/North the April 21 meeting in Yellowknife was positive.
"There's been a breakthrough in talks," Norwegian said.
"The grievances and issues are now behind us and now we're going to get back to the main table negotiations on land quantum."
However, in an e-mail late Friday, a GNWT official painted a different version.
"The GNWT is disappointed that negotiators were unable to resolve issues around allegations of breaches of duty to negotiate in good faith to the satisfaction of all the parties," Martin Goldney, the GNWT's deputy minister of aboriginal affairs and intergovernmental relations, stated.
There was no immediate explanation for the different stories.
Earlier in the day, Norwegian said the two sides are taking a break to "regroup" and assess their positions before an expected negotiation session this week.
Goldney wrote no further meetings are planned, but the GNWT remains open to talks once "allegations of negotiating in bad faith have been addressed to the parties' satisfaction."
A Dehcho leadership meeting is expected to be held this week to talk about what comes next, the grand chief said.
The grievances between the sides over Dehcho Process negotiations were aired publicly over the first few months of the year.
The process has been ongoing since 1999 in an attempt to settle land claims and establish self-government in the region.
Letters the GNWT sent to Dehcho First Nations show the offer of 37,500 square kilometres of surface rights and 17.75 per cent royalties on subsurface rights represented a final offer.
One letter from January said if Dehcho didn't accept the offer, the sides should agree that negotiations have failed.
Norwegian said Dehcho sought up to 50,000 square kilometres.
Dehcho leaders decided to reject the government's offer, resulting in weeks of back and forth in the media.
Pehdzeh Ki First Nation Chief Tim Lennie even threatened to block construction of the $80 million Mackenzie Valley Fibre Line because of a breakdown in talks.
Finally, the two sides agreed to sit down in Yellowknife to hash things out.
News/North attempted to attend the meeting but a reporter was told it was only open to negotiators and DFN members.
Later, Norwegian told News/North and another publication that progress had been made.
He said while talks last week were stressful, he was optimistic about returning to negotiations.
"As you're dealing with big issues there is always little beams of sunlight that keep popping through these kinds of discussions," he said at the time.
"In the last few days it's been like that and we're just hoping it continues to shine on this whole process so we can resolve the whole issue and move forward to become a happy story at the end of the day."
