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7TuesdayNovember122013JOINUSATTHEHayRiverCommunityHallArenaNovember1922IncludingaSelf-GovernmentWorkshopNORTHWESTTERRITORYMTISNATIONANNUALGENERALASSEMBLYN.W.T.MTISNATIONP.O.Box720FortSmithNTX0E0P0Ph.867872-2770Fax867872-2772E-mailinfonwtmwtisnation.caPhotoShellByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationACFNgainedasmallvictorylastweekinitsongoingeffortstoslowoilsandsdevelopmentonitstraditionalterritorywithamonth-longdelayonShellsJackpineopenpitmineex-pansionimposedbytheCa-nadianEnvironmentalAs-sessmentAgencyCEAA.TheCEAAdecidedtodelayShells100000barrelperdaymineexpansionbyanadditional35dayslastweekinresponsetocallsfromACFNformoreconsiderationoftheprojectsimpactsontreatyandAborigi-nalrightsaswellascumulativeenvironmentaleffects.ThejointreviewpanelgaveconditionalapprovaltotheJackpineMineexpansioninJulyalsolayingout88non-bindingrecommendationsinitsreport.Thereportincludednd-ingsontheoverallimpactoftheprojectnotingitwouldlikelyhavesignicantad-versecumulativeenviron-mentaleffectsonwetlandsspeciesatriskbirdscariboutraditionalplantsoldgrowthforestandtraditionallanduserightsandcultureincombi-nationwithotherexistingap-provedandplannedprojects.AccordingtoACFNthosendingsgivewaytoseriousconcernsofbreachoffederallegislationincludingtreatyandAboriginalrightsaswellastheprotectionofspeciesatrisk.WeregladanextensionwasprovidedACFNChiefAllanAdamsaidfollowingtheannouncementlastweek.Itisclearthatthereisalotofworktodobeforethisprojectcanmeetthefederalrequire-mentsforapproval.Thatsaidthechiefex-presseddisappointmentthattheministergrantedonly35daysandnotthefull90daysallowed.Theamountofworkthatneedstobedonetomitigateandaccommodateimpactstoournationseemsalmostim-possibleinonly35calendardays.ButwewillmakebesteffortsandhopethatCanadadoesthesamehesaid.Communicationscoordina-torforACFNErielDerangersaidtheFirstNationwillprob-ablyenduprequestingafur-therextension.Wearehopingthatinthenext35dayswecanactuallygetmeetingwithappropriateindividualsandmakeourcasethatthisprojectshouldnotbegrantednalapprovalshesaid.Wewilllikelycontinuetoaskformoretimetopresentourcaseaswehavenothadsufcienttimetopresentourextensiveissuestothefederalministersandthosewithdeci-sionmakingabilities.ArecentletterfromtheFirstNationtotheCEAAfol-lowingtheirOct.31meetingoutlinesACFNsrequestforaccommodationonsignicantadverseimpactsboththosethataremitigableandthosethatarenot.Asemphasizedduringourmeetingmoretimeisrequiredtodeveloppracti-caleffectiveandworkablemitigationsandaccommoda-tionstoaddresstheimpactsexperiencedbyACFN.Aswehavesaidfromthebe-ginningthiswillrequireCanadatoappointnegotia-torswhoaremandatedtonegotiateandimplementbindingmitigationsandac-commodationstomeetwithACFNsteamandassuchajusticationdecisionshouldbedelayeduntilconsultationiscompletewhichincludesaccommodationsandmitiga-tionsfordirectandadverseimpacts.RequeststotheCEAAforcommentwerenotreturnedbypresstime.ACFNconcernsbackedbyenvironmentcommissionerArecentreportbythefed-eralCommissioneronEnvi-ronmentandSustainableDe-velopmentechoedACFNsconcernslastweekcriticizingCanadasfailuretomeetlegis-lativerequirementsundertheSpeciesatRiskActandcall-ingforanewcollaborativeap-proachrootedinsoundman-agementpracticesandstrongengagementwithstakehold-erslikeFirstNations.Inthescathingreportin-terimcommissionerNeilMaxwellsaidthereisawideandpersistentgapbetweenwhatthegovernmentcommitstodoandwhatitisachieving.ShellmineexpansiondelayedatFirstNationsrequestThereportsself-describedstrikingndingsshoweco-logicalintegritytobelessthanadequateinoveronehalfofprotectedwildlifeareaswhilelessthanhalfofParksCan-adaecosystemswereingoodconditionasof2011.Italsonotesthatatthecur-rentrateitwilltakeEnviron-mentCanadaapproximately10yearstocompleteitsback-logofrecoverystrategiesre-quiredundertheSpeciesatRiskAct.OfnotableconcernforACFNwithrespecttospeciesatriskisthepopulationofwoodbisonintheoilsandsregion.Thoughthespecieswaslistedasthreatenedin2003thefederalgovernmenthasdonenothingtorecoverthosenumbersinyearsresultinginadeclineofover90percentandarecoverystrategythatissixyearsoutofdate.AttemptsbyACFNtomeetwithfederalministersonitsconcernsaroundhabitatandwildlifeprotectionhavebeendeniedaccordingtoAdam.Atpresentwedontfeelthatourissuesarebeingtakenseri-ouslyandtheconsequencesforthisgovernmentsinactionwillbetheannihilationofcriticalhabitatforspeciesatriskandothertraditionalresourceshesaid.PoliticsFirstNationsShellsJackpineMineexpansionwouldseebitumenpro-ductionincreasedby100000barrelsperday.