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PoliticsFirstNations7TuesdayApril232013FirstNationspointfingersoverdevolutionDeneNationleadershipmeetingshighlightpoliticalriftsinDenendehByMEAGANWOHLBERGHardlyawordwassaidduringanupdateonthede-volutionagreementgivenbyFinanceMinisterMichaelMiltenbergerduringlastweeksDeneNationlead-ershipmeetingsinYellow-knifeaschiefssavedtheircriticismsforoneanotherfollowingthedepartureofthesmallterritorialgovern-mentdelegation.ChiefsfromsettledandunsettledclaimareasshowedtheirdifferencesonWednes-dayafternoonsurroundingthedivisiveissueofde-volutionwhichhasseenthemajorityofAboriginalgovernmentsintheNWTsignontotheconsensusdraftagreementthatwillseepowersoverlandwaterandresourcestransferredfromOttawatotheterrito-rialgovernment.ChiefsfromtheAkaitcho-oneoftworemainingre-gionswhoseFirstNationsgovernmentshaveyettosignontothedeal-reiteratedthedifcultyofmovingforwardwhilelandclaimsremainunnished.AkaitchowantstositatthetablefordevolutionDettahChiefEdwardSan-grisoftheYellowknivesDeneFirstNationYKDFNtoldtheotherleaders.Wedontdisagreewiththeconceptbutitswhatsinthetermsandconditionsthatstheproblem...UnlesstheresanagreementinplaceIdontthinkwecanagreewithitpolitically...Wecouldsignontoobutitstheprincipleofnothavingsettledclaims.LeadersfromtheDehchowhichhasalsoremainedoutsidethedealcontinuedquestioningthelegitimacyoftheNWTgovernmentingainingcontroloverlandsintheNWTandevenchal-lengedtheGwichinTlichoandSahturegionsforsign-ingthedeal.Werestillstrugglingtokeepourlands.IdontknowwheretostandIfeellikeweregivingupapieceofourlandtocomerightintomybackyardandtakewhattheycantakethere-sourcesunderourfeetWayneSabourinchiefoftheDehGahGotieFirstNationatFortProvidencetoldtheroom.TreatyrightsarenotwiththeGNWT-weneedtore-memberthat.Werebark-ingupthewrongtreesaidChiefRoyFabianoftheKatlodeecheFirstNationnearHayRiverwhocriti-cizedothergroupsforgiv-ingupthetreatiesinordertonishcomprehensivelandclaims.DevolutionisliketheGNWTslandclaimandweneedtocontestthatwithCanada.Thisisourlandhesaid.ThoughFabianapologizedthenextmorningforcastingstonesatthesettledclaimgroupsforsigningontothedealTlichoGrandChiefEddieErasmussaidsuchcriticismmustneverhap-penagainattheDeneNa-tiontable.WeDenepeoplehaveatraditionthatwedonttalkaboutotherpeople.TheTlichodontcriticizeotherpeople.Wemindourownbusinessdealwithouris-suesandimplementourownagreementhesaid.Kidsathomehearthatwehavegivenupourtreaty.Itsstillourtreatyitsstillintact.Wewanttomakethatper-fectlyclear-wedidntgiveupourtreaty.ActingYKDFNchiefforNdiloRoyErasmusSr.alsoweighedinsayinghethoughtitwasimportantforDeneleaderstobemorereasonableindeal-ingwitheachotherandthegovernment.Iknowpeopleareverypassionateabouttheirrightsandhowwehavetoexerciserightsbutwehavetobecarefulandmakesurewehaverightsandinterpretthemcare-fullyhesaid.Ondevo-lutionsurepeoplesignedtheagreementhere.Thatstheirright.TheGwichinsignedtheirlandclaim20yearsago.HowlongdoyouexpectthemtowaitforusIfwecantfinalizeanagreementin20yearsIdontthinktheyhavetowaitforus.DeneleadersfromallfiveregionsofDenendehstretchingfromnortheast-ernAlbertatotheArcticcoastmetforthreedayslastweekattheTreeofPeaceFriendshipCentreinYellowknifetodiscussissuesfromeconomicde-velopmenttoenvironmen-talconcerns.LeadershipmeetingsareheldeveryspringandfallalongwiththeannualgeneralmeetingheldeachJuly.PhotoMeaganWohlbergNWTFinanceMinisterMichaelMiltenbergercentreankedbychiefdevolutionnegotiatorMartinGoldneyrightandmeetingchairJimAntoinegivesDeneleadersanupdateonthedevolutionagreement.