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PoliticsAboriginal7TuesdayJune182013ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheNWTMtisNationNWTMNiscryingfouloveritsallegedlackofinclusionintalkswithParksCanadaovertheproposedThaideneNenenationalparkreservenearLutselKe.TheparkcurrentlyundernegotiationisbeingplannedincooperationwiththeLutselKeDeneFirstNationLKDFNbutalsofallswithintheMtisassertedtraditionalterritory.MtisNationpresidentGarryBaileysaidtheMtishavebeenleftoutoftheen-gagementprocessclaimingtheirrelationshipwithParksCanadaisatanall-timelow.AllwewantistobetreatedequaltotheFirstNationsyouknowhetoldTheJournal.Since1982theConstitu-tionsbeenprotectingAb-originalrightsandMtisareoneoftheAboriginalpeople.WerehopingtheywouldhavestartedtohonourtheCrownbutithasntworkedoutthatwayyet.BaileysaidParksCanadasformerchiefnegotiatorBobGamblepromisedNWTMNtheywouldbefullparticipantsintheproposedThaideneNeneparkbackin2004apologiz-ingforParksCanadasfail-uretoinvolveNWTMNintheprocess.ThoughtheybeganhavingMtisdemandconsultationonThaideneNeneparkmeetingswithParksin2005thosestoppedaround2010whenLKDFNsignedaframe-workagreementwithParksCanada.TheMtisweregivenasimilarframeworkagree-menttosignwhichtheydidandsentbacktotheministerbutBaileysaidthefederalgovernmentneversignedit.Soforthelastfewyearsnowwevebeentryingtogetameetingwiththemtosignit.Theyhaventgottenaroundtoithesaid.Theyhaventcometousandtalkedtousabouttheirplanshowweregoingtobeinvolved.ThelawnowadaysisconsultwithallAboriginalgroupsespeciallythosewhoarebeingaffectedbyitandthatsinourtradi-tionalterritory.Ourpeoplehaveusedthatareaforhun-dredsofyears.AfederalrepresentativewasrecentlyappointedtomanagetheMtisportfolioforThaid-eneNenebutBaileysaidtheprocesshasbeenstalled.IttookusalongtimetoactuallyagreetothatMOUthatweoriginallyhadandnowitsliketheywanttore-starteverythinghesaid.InthemeantimeyouseeallthepressreleasesontheEastArmparkthereandtheyremovingforwardwithitandwehaventevenhadachancetoseewhattheyretalkingabout.Wehaventevenbeenconsultedontheboundarieswedontknowwhattypeofrulesaregoingtobetherehowitsgoingtoaf-fectourAboriginalrights-wejustdonthaveaclue.BaileysaidNWTMNhasalreadybeenaffectedbytheformationoftheparkintheirlandclaimnegotiationswithCanada.Werenegotiatingalandsandresourcesagreementrightnowasyouknowandwevebeenalreadytoldwecantselectlandwithinthatboundarysowevealreadybeenaffectedhesaid.Andwithnoconsul-tationontheboundaryorany-thinglikethatitstotallybadfaithasfarasImconcerned.ParksCanadarespondedtoTheJournalMondaymorningbyemailstatingconsultationsarenotoverandparkboundar-iesarenotestablished.Thecurrentlandwith-drawalisconsideredastudyareaandisnotaparkbound-ary.Therearemanystepstothenationalparkestablish-mentprocessincludingthecompletionofaconsultationprogramwithAboriginalgroupsstakeholdersinter-estgroupsandthegeneralpublic.OnlyonceallofthesestepshavebeencompletedisanationalparkorparkreservebroughtintolegislationundertheCanadaNationalParksActtheemailstated.ParkssaidtheNWTMNalongwithotherAboriginalgroupswouldstillbeabletocarryouttheirtraditionalac-tivitiesinanationalparkre-servesuchasThaideneNene.InanationalparkreservelocalAboriginalpeoplemaycontinuetheirtraditionalhunt-ingshingtrappinggather-ingandspiritualactivities.ParksCanadaalsoinvolvesthesegroupsinmanagementthatmayaffecttheseactivities.WhenoutstandingAboriginalclaimshavebeensettledandagreementsarereachedthatprovidefortheparksestablish-mentthesesameactivitiesmaycontinueandtheparkreservecanthenbebroughtforwardasanationalparkundertheCa-nadianNationalParksAct.Allrelevantprovisionsoftheclaimagreementswouldincorporatedwithinthenationalpark.Baileysaidtheconicthar-kensbacktothehistoricallynegativerelationshipbetweenMtisintheNWTandParksCanadastartingwiththeformationofWoodBuffaloNationalParkinwhichtheNWTMNisstillstrugglingtogettheoptionoflandsselection.ThoughNWTMNrecentlyrequestedlandsintheparkaspartofitslandsandresourcesagreementtheministersaidthedepartmentofAboriginalAffairsandNorthernDevelop-mentisunabletochangethemandateforaccesstoParkslandwhichdoesnotprovideaccesstoMtis.BothSmithsLandingandSaltRiverFirstNationshavebeengivenaccesstolandinWoodBuffalo.ThewayParkshavetreatedusinthepastwithWoodBuffaloforcedtogetoutoftherecouldnthuntcouldntshcouldnttrapcouldntbuildacabin.Thereslotsofrules-youcouldntevengogetwoodhesaid.Theytookitawaytheytookitallawayandnowwereghtingforlandwithinthepark...ItsreallynotfairitsdenitelynotequitabletreatmentforAboriginalNortherners.Soitsalwaysanuphillbattle.Werehopingthatthefederalgovernmentwillstarttakingusseriously.IfNWTMNisnotgivenaframeworkagreementforThaideneNenefromParksCanadasoonBaileysaidtheywilllikelypursuelegalaction.IfthatswhatwehavetodoIguessthatswhatwelldohesaid.WeshouldbeinvolvedandAboriginalpeopleshouldbeworkingtogetherespeciallyfortheirlands.Idontknowwhywegottabedisagreeingwitheachother.Itsridiculous.NWTMtisNationpresidentGarryBaileysaystheproposedparkboundaryisalreadyaffectingtheirongoingnegotiations.