Kt'odeeche First Nation passes vote that gives it more power over its land

Members of theKt'odeeche First Nation near Hay River, N.W.T., have votedto take more authority over its own land.

Members voted on its custom land code Wednesday night. The vote passed 144 to eight, in favour of the new land code, Kt'odeecheChief April Martel told CBCWednesday night.

The land code gives the First Nationpower over its lands, including the freedom to draft itsown land laws, create itsown budgets and run its own environmental protection programs without federal oversight.

The nation needed just 53 votes, or ten per cent of its roughly 500 eligible voters, to implement the new code.

Martel had previously saidthat the new code will give her nation more ability to godirectly to banks for loans, instead of having to first get approval from the federal government.

Martel had said it will also speed up housing projects.

Kt'odeeche First Nation's42-pageland code puts in place acommittee that will "recommend laws, resolutions, policies and practices" tochief and council on how the land code is being used. Any reports written by the committee or chief and council will be made publicly available to nation members.

If the vote goes through, the land code will be considered "operational," meaning it goes into effect immediately, Martel had said.

Any money set aside for the First Nation's operations will also be immediately transferred to chief and council, Martel added.