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PoliticsFirstNations7TuesdayJanuary282014DidyoujustbuyanewcarForthebestratesandserviceinautomotiveinsuranceintheNorthcometoNorlandAgencies5108A53rdStreetYellowknifeX1A1V6867-765-085862WoodlandDr105HayRiverX0E1G1867-874-2101BergertoleadPeelwatershedlegalchallengeGwichinTribalCouncilheadedtocourtwithYukonFirstNationsByMARYWALDENCanadianlandclaimslawyerThomasBergerbestknownforhisMackenzieValleypipelineinquiryisheadingthelegalbattleagainsttheYukongov-ernmentsnewPeelwatershedlanduseplan.TheplanfortheYukonpartofthetransboundarywater-shedwasreleasedJan.21thesamedaythenearlyfour-yearmineralclaimstakingbanexpired.Underthenewplan71percentofthePeelisnowopentoindustrialdevelopment.Therestisofflimitstonewstakingbuttheminingofex-istingclaimsandbuildingofnewroadsareallowed.ThePeelcommissionsnalrecommendedplanreleasedin2011andapprovedbyFirstNationsput80percentofthe68000-squarekmwildernesswatershedunderprotection.ThePeelsAboriginalgroupstheGwichinTribalCouncilGTCNa-choNyakDunTrondekHwechinandVuntutGwitchin-werequicktocriticizethegovernmentsunilateralapproachtoplan-ningrepeatingwhattheyvebeensayingformonthsnamelythattheydturntothecourtstodefendtheco-man-agementagreedtointheirmodern-daytreaties.TheyrecruitedBergertoleadthechargebeginningwithaJan.27newsconferenceatVancouversMineralExplo-rationRoundupconvention.WewilldowhateverittakestodefendtheintegrityofouragreementssaidNa-choNyakDunChiefEdCham-pioninaJan.22newsrelease.GTCvice-presidentNor-manSnowshoesaidFirstNa-tionsarenotgoingtogiveuponthePeel.Thenalchaptertothisstoryisdenitelyyettobewrittenhesaid.TheYukonConservationSocietyandtheCanadianParksandWildernessSocietysYukonchapterhadalreadywarnedresourcescompaniesindustrysaidexecutivedirec-torSamsonHartland.EssentiallywhenyouputitalltogetherthewatershedisessentiallyprotectedHart-landsaidinaJan.23phoneinterview.AskedifaprolongedPeelknowtheFirstNationgovern-mentsaregoingtosueandyouknowthatanybodywhogoesupintothePeelareaImeanitsablackmarkonthosecompanieshesaid.Thereareabout8400ac-tivequartzmineralclaimsinthePeelnow.Eachisabout50acresinsize.Since2010thegovernmenthasrenewedthemallforfreeeveryyear.Normallyclaim-holdersneedtodo100worthofworkorpaythatamountinlieu.ThisrelieforderexpiresFeb.4.Thegovernmenthasntsaidifitsgoingtoextendit.Inthemeantimeconser-vationgroupsareorganizingaStandupforthePeelrallyoutsidetheYukonlegislatureJan.29.tothinktwicebeforesettingtheirsightsonthePeel.Theycalledthegovern-mentsnewplananaffronttodemocracyandaninsulttothosewhoparticipatedinthePeelplanningprocess.Tourismorganizationssaidthenewblueprintwilljustcre-ateconfusionamongthedif-ferentlandusers.Plansaresupposedtocre-atemorecertaintynotlesssaidNeilHartlingchairoftheTourismIndustryAssociationoftheYukoninanewsrelease.EventheYukonCham-berofMinesusuallyabigsupporteroftheconservativeYukonPartygovernment-wasalittlecool.Thoughitwaspleasedthegovernmentditchedthecommissionsplanitsaiditsreplacementstillhastoomuchprotectionandtoomanyrestrictions.Onerousnewrequirementssuchasairaccesscoordinationbetweenalluser-groupsintheremoteWind-BonnetPlumeRiverareacouldscareoffbattlecoulddamagetheYu-konsreputationasaplacetodobusinesshesaidonlytimewilltell.Itsearlydayshesaid.Itsstillamovingtargetwhenitcomestowhatthisallmeans.InterimLiberalleaderSandySilversaiditlooksliketheonlypeopletheYukongovernmentisservingwiththisplanisitspoliticalmastersinOttawa.Thisisnotevenalocalplan.ThisismoreofStephenHarp-ersagendahesaid.OpeningthePeelisjustpartandparcelofHarpersgrandvisionfortheNorth-tostripitsnaturalresourcesandshipthemofftoChinahesaid.Butitwontwork.Theonlythingtheresourceindustrywantsiscertaintyandpend-inglawsuitsbringanythingbutSilversaid.Soitsstillamorato-riumreallywhenyouthinkaboutitwhoisgoingtogointherehesaid.WhywouldyouspendanymoneyintherewhenyouThenalchaptertothisstoryisdenitelyyettobewritten.NormanSnowshoeGwichinTribalCouncilPhotoMaryWaldenMountMacDonaldtowersoverthewestsideoftheSnakeRiverinthePeelwatershedwhichtheYukongovernmentsplanopeneduptomininglastweekdespiteFirstNationsopposition.