Some Deninu Kue members won't get diamond dollars

Some members of the Deninu Kue First Nation in the Northwest Territories say they're upset the band won't be giving them their share of diamond company money this year.

The First Nation has received $250,000 in impact benefit agreement funding paid by BHP Billiton, which operates the Ekati mine. But this year, the band's chief and council decided the money would be split only by the band members who live in Fort Resolution, located on the south shore of Great Slave Lake.

That meant Deninu Kue member Mark Cassoway, who has lived 150 kilometres away in Yellowknife for years, is not entitled to the approximately $900 cheque band members in Fort Resolution will get this year. The band says about 260 of its 900 members live in Fort Resolution, while the rest live away from the community. A small portion of the $250,000 is used by the band to cover administrative costs.

Cassoway said it is unfair that members that "live outside the community [don't] benefit in any way, and I just feel it's unfair because a lot of them have two or three children. Every little bit counts in the city," he said Wednesday.

The Deninu Kue First Nation is one of four Akaitcho regional communities that worked out the deal with BHP Billiton in 2000. The First Nation receives its $250,000 share of the Akaitcho heritage fund from the company each year.

Cassoway argued that since the mine has an impact on traditional land use, every band member should be entitled to a share. The agreement between BHP Billiton and the Deninu Kue First Nation was negotiated in 2000 on behalf of all band members, he noted.

While Deninu Kue Chief Bill Norn did not dispute that fact, he was unapologetic about council's decision to keep the money in Fort Resolution.

"It's an [impact benefit agreement] fund and we are directly impacted, and the council and the chief did not feel it was necessary to disperse it any further," Norn said.

"Before, it was dispersed through all the membership. They weren't satisfied then. Today they're not satisfied. So no matter what you do, you're never going to have the full membership satisfied."

Although the annual money was paid into a heritage fund, which is supposed to be spent on community projects, Norn said it's up to the leadership to decide whether it gets paid out to members or used for community projects.

Band members living outside of Fort Resolution are calling on the leadership to reconsider the decision.