Dehcho land claim negotiations: GNWT agrees to meetings

The Northwest Territoriesgovernment has agreed to meet with negotiators from the DehchoFirst Nations and the federal government later this month.

The move comes after the territorial government set an initialdeadline, followed by another for April 6, for the Dehcho to accept what the government described as its "final offer" in land negotiations with the region.

In an email, the territorial governmentsaid the meetings scheduled forApril 21to April 23 in Yellowknife are meant"to assess the current status of negotiations and prospects for success."

DehchoGrand Chief Herb Norwegian says the First Nation's chief negotiator has written to his federal and territorial counterpartsasking for a mediator to resolve the impasse. He says the negotiatorhas received no response.

"The quicker solution to this would be just to return to the negotiating table and roll up our sleeves and get this business done so we can move onto more important things in our lives," said Norwegian.

Norwegian says the territorial government's tactics are delaying development in the Dehcho region.

Impasse having broader impacts

The territorial government has been reluctant to talk publicly about the negotiations.

Yesterday Premier BobMcLeod, who is also the minister of Aboriginal Affairs, was not available for an interview.

The Dehcho, whose traditional territory is centred in the southwest of the N.W.T., are asking for control of about 50,000-square kilometres of land in their land claim negotiations, includingboth surface and subsurface rights.

The territorial government, which has taken over negotiations with the Dehchofrom the federal government since devolution in 2013, has offered37,000 square kilometres, with only surface rights, as well as royalties of about 18 per cent on the land. The government has called the offer its"final offer" in land negotiations with the region.

The breakdown in negotiations has already threatened one of the government's biggest development projects.

Last month, the chief of Wrigley said the proposed fibre optic line along the Mackenzie Valley will not cross his community's lands because of what he called the government's "bully tactics" during land claim negotiations.