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LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR5FortSmithHayRiverWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayForecastForecastNorms-15Cand-26CNorms-14Cand-26C-30Low-27Low-20High-20High-23Low-24High-34Low-28Low-32Low-21High-19High-24Low-24High-35Low-16High-15HighYellowknifeInuvikWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayNorms-22Cand-31CNorms-19Cand-28C-34Low-32Low-36Low-30Low-31Low-32Low-24High-23High-26Low-26High-34Low-20High-29High-28High-27High-28HighTuesdayFebruary112014EditorInresponsetoapublican-nouncementonCKLBfromDeninuKueFirstNationDKFNChiefBalsillienoti-fyingmembershipandpublictheDKFNcouncilisintheprocessofsigningthede-volutionagreementwiththegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritories.Unfortunatelytherehasntbeenanycon-sultationwiththemember-shipandthedutytoconsultisinquestionasstatedintheCanadianconstitutionof1982ConstitutionActSection35.Themembershipwasnotmadeawareofthisdecisiontoagreewithdevolution.Ameetingwasheldattheofcecomplexwithoutprovidingpublicnoticetoinformthemembershipthattheywereconsideringandagreeingtosigndevolution.Unfortunatelythemem-bershiphasbeendeniedanAnnualGeneralAssemblysinceSept.92007atwhichMembersshouldbenetfromACFNrsttimetheAssemblywasin-completeandwastoconvenethenextday.OneMondayFeb.32014onaCBCbroadcasttheDeninuKueFirstNationannounceditsdecisiontosignontotheDevolutionAgreementwiththegovern-mentoftheNorthwestTer-ritories.AndagainonFeb.3theDeninuKueFirstNa-tionannouncedthroughthelocalDKFNFacebookpageacontrolledmediathatithadmadeadecisiontosignthedevolutionagreementwiththegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritorieswith-outinformingitsmember-shipofthedecision.OntheDKFNFacebookpagethemembersaskingaboutthedevolutionprocesswereim-mediatelydeletedorblocked.TheyvesincedeactivatedthecontrolledDKFNFacebookaccount.Membersareconcernedbecausetherehasntbeenanytransparencyoraccountability.ContrarytotheFirstNationsTranspar-encyActBillC-27Ab-originalAffairsandNorth-ernDevelopmentAANDCapprovedtheDeninuKueFirstNationsauditwithaBandCouncilResolutionandcontinueditsformulafunding.Thisisnotinac-cordancewiththeBillC-27.OnnumerousoccasionsmembersoftheDeninuKueFirstNationhavecon-tactedAANDCabouttheirconcernswiththechiefandcounciloftheDeninuKueFirstNationbywayoflet-tersdroppinginattheof-ceinYellowknifeandlongdistancecallsfromelderstoonlybeignoredandbetoldthattheDeninuKueFirstNationisgovernedbyaCustomaryElectionCodeandtheywouldnotinterfere.Wearenotfamiliarwithdevolutionandwouldlikeabetterunderstandingsowecouldmakeproperdecisions.IhavelistenedtoallourAkai-tchoElderstalkabouthowimportanttheTreatyisandthatourlandshouldnotbesoldorgivenaway.DeninuKueFirstNationisnotre-spectingtheNWTTreaty8Processandwedonotknowwherewestand.IheardChiefBalsilliestateontheradiothatheissign-ingtheagreementbecausepeoplearesufferinginFortResolutionbutthemajorityofthepeopleIseeneglectedarethenon-relatedortheun-educatedbecausetheyhavenoalternative.AsperSection35oftheCanadianConstitution1982DeninuKueFirstNationmembershipdemandsthegovernmenttoorganizeameetingwiththemember-shiptoaddresssevenyearsofoutstandingconcerns.SharonLaffertyConcernedMemberoftheDeninuKueFirstNationEditorsnoteThisletterhasbeeneditedforlengthTotheDenesulineofKaiTaileNeneFortChipewyanAsyouknowIamalsounderandpartofthead-ministrationoftheAtha-bascaChipewyanFirstNa-tionwhichisintruthanextensionofcolonialruleunderthedepartmentofAb-originalAffairs.HoweverwetheDenesulinearealltruecitizensofDenesu-lineNeneanentirecoun-trywhichisabout500000squaremilesor1.2millionsquarekilometresinareaandwenumberover35000in40variouscommunities.IlearnedthiswhenItraveledtoalmostallofourDenesu-linecommunitiesexcepttwoandattendednineoutof10Denegatheringsthatwehavehadinthepast.ManyofyouknowwhoIambuttherearealsomanythatIhaveknownwhoaregonetoday.Therealsoisawholenewgenera-tionofpeopleourchildrenandtheirchildren.Whenourfamilymovedawayin1973someofusmovedtoCarswellLakeIlearnttobecomeatruetraditionalandaspiritualpersonwithintheDenesulineworld.Itisunlikethecommunitieswherewearealllivingtoday.Mostlyandaboveallithascomebyunderstandingourancienttraditionallawfromtheel-dersthatwethepeoplearetherealbossesofthelandourselvesnotthechiefsoranyotherforeignauthorities.Accordingtothestatisticsofthebandwenumberclosetoathousandbutlessthan250orabout25percentliveinthecommunityofFortChipewyan.MostofourothersmembersliveinFortMcMurrayEdmontonandinFortSmithorlikemyselfliveinYellowknife.TheFirstNationbandcounciloftheAthabascaChipewyanareallunderourauthorityinclud-ingthecompanyACDENAthabascaChipewyanDenesuline.AlsoithascometomyattentionthatACDENhaslessthan1percentofourpeopletheDenesulineem-ployedinthecompanyandtherestareallnon-natives.Italsoearnedanestimatedseveralhundredmilliondol-larsfromtheoilsectorandboughtabuildingworth68million.Furthermoreittrulyappearsthatthe99percentofthenon-nativeswork-ingforthemaretheoneswhoarebeneting.ManyofthemareownintothecampsfromsoutherncitiesofVancouverEdmontonCalgaryNewfoundlandandsoforthandtheyarealllivingcomfortablywithprosperouslives.Andyetlessthan70milesawaytotheeastofFortMcMurraythereareabout5000Dene-sulinelivinginLaLochewhere80percentofthemhavenojobs.ItisthesameinmostofourDenesulinecommunitiesthroughoutDenesulineNene.HowcanacompanythatusesournameDenesolineandisownedbyaFirstNationbandnothireourpeopletheDene-sulineIftheycanypeo-plefromNewfoundlandwhichisthousandsofmilesawaywhycantheynotyourpeopleoutofTadouleLakeLutselKeandYel-lowknifewhicharealllessthan500milesawayEveryothercommunityiscloser.TheDenesulineareawareofACDENandarewonderingthesamethingwhyaretheyusingournameandnothir-ingustheyallsay.AsfortheShellsJackpinemineexpansionIwouldsayjustletitgobecausewethemembersofACFNareget-tingnothingoutofit.Stopalltheprotestfornooneislistening.Nobodycares.AsItravelthroughoutDene-sulineNeneourgreatestproblemismoney.Ironicallyspeaking80percentoftheoilsandsarewithinDene-sulineNeneandareworthtrillionsofdollarssohowcanwebesounfortunateItisthetimenowforusthepeoplewhoaretherealbossestomakethischange.LetsbringourrelativesintoACDEN.RogerDerangerCitizenofDenesulineNeneNorthernJournal2014JoinusonlineLikeNorthernJournalonFacebookandgettheweeklynewsdeliveredtoyourfeedFACEBOOKFEEDBACKAnewinnhasopeneditsdoorstowearytravelerswantingtocozyupforthenightinFortSmithpromisingalltheamenitiesofonesownhome.NewFortSmithBBoffershomeawayfromhome.AlisonWhiteCongratsJanieMyraGillisCongratsJanieWaytogoSonnyLenoirJune16thweekendistheAnnualDeneNationalAssemblyAnothergreatplacetostayDevolutiondealsignedwithoutconsulting