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IndustryMiningPoliticsFirstNations6TuesdayFebruary42013ByMARIACHURCHThreevotesinfavourwereenoughtopassabud-getintroducedbySaltRiverFirstNationChiefFriedaMartselosdespitetensionsbetweenbandmembersboil-ingoveratthebudgetmeet-inglastweek.ThemeetingheldlastThursdaydetailedmorethan3millioninspendingbutwasinterruptedbytheRCMPafteracouncillorreactedtoseeinganoutspokenbandmembershowupaccord-ingtootherbandmembers.TheRCMPoptedtostayontheporchoutsideofthemeetingafterseveralofthebandmembersstooduptodefendthememberinSaltRiverpassesbudgetbythreevotesRCMPcalledtobudgetmeetingafterconflictbreaksoutquestionJudithGaylewhowasbannedbythechieffromtheirlastmeetingformerSaltRivercouncillorMikeBea-vertoldTheJournal.WesaidThisisourbandmeetinganymemberofSaltRiverisallowedtobeatthismeetingBeaversaid.YearsagoweusedtohavemeetingsoutsidesohowareyouabletokicksomebodyoutwhenyouareoutsideThatscrazythewaysheoperates.Anotherbandmemberpre-ventedaCBCreporterfromenteringthemeeting.ChiefnotrecognizedbysomeSaltRiversmembersaredividedovertheirsupportforMartseloswithalargegroupchoosingnottorec-ognizeheraschiefafteravoteofnon-confidencelastmonth.AtameetinginJanuarybandmembersinattendancevotedtoremoveMartselosasleaderbutthemovewaslaterdeclaredinvalidbyMartselossupporterswhosayitdidnotgothroughprotocolsinthebandselec-tioncode.BandcouncillorGeorgeCummingwhoinitiatedthenon-condencevoteinJan-uarysaidthosewhovotedtooustherdonotrecognizeherauthority.Shesnotachiefwearenotcallingherchiefandwedontrecognizeheraschief.ForallthatmoneytheyarespendingafterJanuaryweregoingtoghtforthemtopaythatmoneybackbe-causeasfaraswearecon-cernedsheisnotachief.ShewasvotedoutandthatwasithetoldTheJournallastFriday.Martselosdidnotrespondtorequestsforcommentasofpresstime.ExpenserecordsquestionedWhenaspectsofthebudgetweredetailedatthemeetingBeaversaidMartselosap-pearedtobedodgingques-tionsandwasreluctanttogivedetails.Martselosjustcantseemtorealizewhatsgoingonwithallthemoneyhesaid.Wedontknowwhereitsgoing.Beaversaidthebudgetincluded500000slatedforaforensicaudit.Orig-inallystatingtheauditwasforongoingcourtcaseswhenpressedbythemembersMartselossaidtheauditwastobedoneonSaltRiversde-velopmentcorp.Ifshesafterthedevelop-mentcorp.doesthatmeanthatshewantstodosome-thingaboutwhensome-bodyelsewasinpowerItsanongoingghtwithherhesaid.Whenthevoteonthebudgetcameupthoseinfavourcameoutthreevotesahead.Cummingsaidhewouldhavelikedtoseeasecretballotforthebudgetalleg-ingthatseveralofthosewhosupporteditweredoingsooutoffear.Showinghandsisjustnotgoodenoughhesaid.Ifwewouldhavehadasecretballotthenevery-thingwouldbesettledrightthere.Shewouldntgetawaywithwhatsheisgettingawaywithforsure.SaltRiverFirstNationwillbeholdingbandelec-tionsthisSeptember.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheTlichoGovernmentendeditsfreezeontheGah-choKudiamondmine280kmnorthofYellowknifelastweeknoddingitssupportoftheprojectwiththesigningofanimpactbenetagreementwithproponentsDeBeersandMountainProvinceDiamonds.Theagreementsetsoutaframeworkforhowthepartieswillworktogetherthrough-outtheminelifeandprom-isesTlichomembersaccesstoeconomicopportunitiesprovidedbytheproject.ThisagreementconrmsourrelationshipwithDeBeerssothatwewillworktogetheroverthelifeoftheminetoensuretherearemanytrainingemploymentandbusinessopportunitiesfromtheprojectforTlichocitizensGrandChiefEddieErasmussaidinapressrelease.TlichosigndealonGahchoKudiamondmineItalsoincludesnancialprovisionsthatenabletheTlichoGovernmenttopar-ticipateintheopportunitiesthattheprojectprovides.TheTlichoarethesecondAboriginalgrouptosignanIBAwiththecompanyontheminewhichreceivedfederalapprovallastOctober.TheNorthSlaveMtisAlliancesignedanagreementwithDeBeerslastJuly.AsoflastsummertheTli-choGovernmentalongwiththeYellowknivesDeneFirstNationLutselKeDeneFirstNationandDeninuKuFirstNationopposedthemineprojectarguingthatthere-viewboardsreportdidnotprovideadequatemeasuresfortheprotectionofwild-lifeandculturalactivitiesorreclamation.TheminewillrequirethedrainingofKennadyLakeandtheconstructionofawinterroadthatcriticssaycoulddisruptbarrengroundcariboumigration.GregKoropchukchiefoperatingofcerforGahchoKusaidtheTlichoGovern-mentssupportisimportantmovingforward.Thisimpactbenetagree-mentbuildsontherelation-shipwehavealreadyestab-lishedfortheSnapLakeMineandconrmsourcommit-menttoworktogetherforthebenetoftheTlichopeoplewiththeGahchoKuproj-ecthesaidinapressrelease.DeBeerssaystheminewillemploycloseto700peopleduringitstwo-yearconstruc-tionphaseandcloseto400duringitsestimated11yearsofoperationsduringwhich31milliontonnesoforecon-taininganestimated49mil-lioncaratswillbemined.PhotocourtesyofDeBeersTlichoGrandChiefEddieErasmusrightsignsanimpactbenetagreementwithDeBeersCanadaCEOGlenKoropchukfortheGahchoKudiamondminelastweek.