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MtisclaimstalledbymoreFirstNationsconsultationDenendehstaysIdleNoMoreoneyearlaterPoliticsGrassrootsPoliticsAboriginal24TuesdayNovember122013ByMEAGANWOHLBERGAyearaftertheIdleNoMoremovementfirstsawFirstNationsandalliestaketothestreetsindemandofprotectionforthelandwaterairandindigenousrightsinCanadapeopleinYellow-knifeshowedtheirsupportwithananniversarysolidar-itycelebration.AfewdozenpeoplemetatthecommunitygyminNDiloonSundayforanaf-ternoonteach-inwithspeak-ersandadiscussiononenvi-ronmentalandrightsissuesspecicallypertainingtotheNWTincludingfrackingcli-matechangetheGiantMinecleanipandsolidaritywithIdleNoMoreactionsacrosstheglobe.EventorganizerLawrenceNayallysaidsolidaritywasanobviouschoiceasthethemeofaone-yearcelebration.Wereheretosupportothergroupswhoareghtingsomeprettylargebattleshesaid.Inasenseitsunitythatswhatitmeans.Ifevery-bodyunitesunderacertainissueacertainconcernyoujusthavemuchmorecon-denceinwhatyouredoing.Oneyearinsolidaritybasi-callyisoneyearwheretheentirecountryinCanadastoodinunity...Eventhoughwerenottherephysicallyweretherebothspirituallyandemotionally.TheIdleNoMoremove-mentbeganinresponsetochangesputforthinaseriesofByMEAGANWOHLBERGWithconsultationscom-pletedwiththeAkaitchoTerritoryGovernmentlastmonthNWTMtisNationNWTMNofcialsexpectedthefederalgovernmenttobeabletonallymoveaheadonsigningthepartiesagreementinprincipleAiPcompletedandapprovedbytheMtismembershiplastDecember.ButlastweektheyfoundouttheystillhavemoretimetowaituntilCanadawillsignitssideofthepaperworkasitcontinuestonegoti-atewithotherFirstNationsgovernments.Canadaisalsoconduct-ingconsultationswithotherAboriginalgroupswhoseas-sertedorestablishedAborig-inalorTreatyrightsmightbeaffectedbyanNWTMNAgreementaspokespersonforthedepartmentofAb-originalAffairsandNorth-ernDevelopmentCanadaAANDCtoldTheJournalinanemail.Consultationsarestillongoing.PhotooscourtesyofKiera-DawnKolsonfederalomnibusbillsthataf-fectedTreatyandAboriginalrightsalongwiththeenviron-mentmadewithoutconsulta-tionwithindigenousgroups.AgroupintheNWTcalledIdleNoMoreDenendehheldseveraleventsacrosstheNWToverthepastyearmo-mentarilyblockadingpartsofHwy.3theDehChoBridgeanddowntownYellowknifewithralliesprotestsanddrumdancesconcurrentwithna-tionaldaysofactiondemand-ingrecognitionofTreatyandAboriginalrightsbythefederalgovernmentandinsolidaritywithAttawapiskatChiefTheresaSpenceshun-gerstrikeonParliamentHill.ThoughonapoliticallevelNayallysaidthegovernmentanditspoliciesremainthesameinCanadawithrespecttoindigenousrightsoneofthesuccessesofthepastyearsgrassrootsmovementhasbeenanincreaseinawarenesses-peciallyamongyouth.Abunchofyoungpeoplegloballyarecomingupwithinitiativesandlookingatwaystheycanbettertheircommu-nitiesandtheirregions.Itsre-allybecomesomethingmuchlarger.Thegoalwastoprotectourlandsandensuresome-thingwaslaidoutinplaceforfuturegenerationstoenjoycleanwatercleanairandsoonNayallysaid.Itinspiredmoreyoungpeopletogetinvolvedintheircommunitiesandstartraisingawarenessaboutcertainsitu-ationsintheirrespectiveter-ritories...BeforeIdleNoMorehappenedtherewasntmuchawarenessaroundwhatwasgoingongloballyandhereinourownbackyard.ThoughhedliketoseemoreNorthernersstandinguppoliticallyagainstpoliciesthatimpactthemNayallysaidheunderstandsclosefamilytiesandsocioeconomicis-suesfacedbypeopleintheNWTposechallengesforradicalaction.Alotofpeopledontwanttosteponotherpeoplestoeshesaid.BeingaDenepersonandhavingstrongbeliefsintheDenelawsandprinciplesandourtraditionsandcul-turejustdoingthatwouldgoagainstthoselaws.ButsomewherealongthelineacompromisemustbemadeonbothendsandIthinkthatsanotherthingpeopleshouldbelookingat.ImanKassamwhohelpedorganizeSundayseventasanallysaiditsimportantforpeopletolearnandgetactivelyinvolvedinmove-mentstheywanttosupport.Learnmoreeducateyour-selvestalktootherpeopleaskquestionsshesaid.FromdayoneIdleNoMorehasbeenanindigenousandnon-indigenousmovementandanopportunityforev-erybodytocomeoutandsup-porthumanrightstheenvi-ronment-reallybasicthingsthatweshouldalreadybesup-portingespeciallyin2013.ThatswhyIgetinvolvedasmuchasIcan.Thefederalgovernmentindicateditneedstonishnegotiationswithallthosegroupswhoseassertedores-tablishedAboriginalorTreatyrightsmightbeaffectedbytheproposedNWTMNAgreement.ThosegroupsincludetheDehchoFirstNationsKatlodeecheFirstNa-tionnearHayRivertheAthabascaSaskatchewanandManitobaDenesulineallofwhichshareclaimareaboundaries-currentlyundernegotiation-withtheMtisproposedclaimarea.Canadaintendstocon-cludeallconsultationspriortosigningtheAiPsaidanAANDCspokespersonwhowouldnotestimatehowlongthatmighttake.NWTMNpresidentGarryBaileydeclinedcommentonthematterbutcomplainedpubliclyearlierthisfallthattheMtiswerefedupwithhavingtheirclaimsprocessstalledbyinterferencefromsurroundingFirstNationsandweredemandingthefed-eralgovernmentsignoffontheAiP.TheAkaitchogovernmentledsuitagainsttheCrowninFebruary2012demandingCanadadiscloseinformationontheNWTMNlandandresourceagreementnego-tiationswhichtheyarguedcouldconflictwiththeirTreatyrights.BaileytoldTheJournalinSeptemberthatthedelaycausedbytheAkaitchogovernmentsdemandforconsultationcosttheNWTMNaround2mil-lionoverthelastyearandahalf.Wecantstopourpro-cesswecantlaypeopleoffandaskthemtocomebackayearortwolater...Ittookusalongtimetogetwhereweare.Weveestablishedafullstaffthatarecommittedandhavebeencommittedsince96.Wecantexpectthesepeopletojustsitaroundandwaitaswell.Itsfrustrating.AlegalprecedentforFirstNationsconsultationonotherAboriginalclaimswassetinearly2012whenafederalcourtruledinfavouroftwoDehchoFirstNations-Nah-anniButteandSambaaKeinTroutLake-whotookCanadatocourtfornotcon-sultingwiththempriortosigningalandclaimagree-mentinprinciplewiththeAchoDeneKoeFirstNa-tionofFortLiard.ThecourtruledthatthefederalgovernmentcouldnotsignalandclaimAiPuntilconsultationswerecar-riedoutwithotherFirstNa-tionswhoseproposedclaimboundariesoverlapped.DeneactivistsKiera-DawnKolsonandLawrenceNayallyspeakonNorthernissuesduringtheoneyearanniversarycelebrationoftheIdleNoMoremovementinNDiloonSundayafternoon.MembersoftheNWTMtisNationdiscusstheirAiPinHayRiverinDecember2012.PhotoNWTMN