North Slave Mtis takes N.W.T. to court over caribou

The North Slave Mtis Alliance is in court this week fighting the N.W.T. territorial government over the right to hunt caribou from the Bathurst herd.

The North Slave Mtis Alliance is arguing that the government is violating its aboriginal rights by excluding Mtis from the seasonal hunt.

The government excluded the Mtis from harvesting Bathurst caribou during the 2011-2012 hunting season, but gave the Yellowknives Dene and Tlicho tags for 150 caribou each.

"We have aboriginal rights here in the Northwest Territories," said Bill Enge, president of the North Slave Mtis Alliance. "The GNWT absolutely refused to budge in giving us an allocation whatsoever."

Enge's lawyer is arguing the territorial government has a duty under the constitution to consult with the North Slave Mtis, but Enge says cabinet ministers wouldn't meet with him.

"It behooves us to understand how they can be deaf, dumb and blind to the fact that the Mtis are here, and we are an aboriginal people with aboriginal rights," Enge said.

The GNWT says it doesn't comment on cases before the courts.

The trial is expected to continue over the next three days.