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6TuesdayFebruary182014ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheAchoDeneKoeFirstNationandFortLiardMtismovedonestepclosertofinalizingtheirlandclaimandcommunityself-gov-ernmentagreementlastweekwiththesigningofanagreementinprinciplewiththeterritorialgovernment.Thesigningrepresentsthestartofnegotiationsonalandandresourcesfinalagreementforthecommu-nitywhichwilldealwithlandfinancialpaymentspubliccommunitygovern-mentandtheharvestingofwildlifetreesandplantsamongotherissuestiedtolandsandcitizenship.Thissigningisanim-portantmilestonealongthejourneyofprovidingclarityandcertaintyonthelandandresourcerightsoftheAchoDeneKoeFirstNa-tionwithintheNorthwestTerritoriesNWTPremierBobMcLeodsaidinapressreleaselastweek.Theinitialframeworkagreementforthecom-munitycomprehensivelandclaimsprocesswassignedinJulyof2008committingthepartiestotwophasesofnegotia-tionsstartingwithlandandresourcesbeforemov-ingontoself-government.Whilethelandandre-sourcesagreementwillbecommunitybasedtheframeworkagreementnotesthatself-governmentnego-tiationswillbelookedatwithinaregionalcontext.Negotiationsonself-gov-ernmentwonttakeplaceuntilatleast10yearsafterthelandsandresourcesagreementinsigned.Oncephaseoneiscom-pletedtheFirstNationandMtisinFortLiardwillhavetheopportunitytobegindis-cussionswithCanadaBCandYukontoclarifytheirrightsaroundtheirassertedterritorywhichcrossesintootherjurisdictions.ThefinalizedagreementinprinciplehasnowbeenforwardedtoCanadaalsoapartytothenegotiationsforsigningnowthatithasbeensignedonbehalfoftheGNWT.Oncecompleteitwillbe-cometherstcommunity-basedlandandresourcesagreementintheNWTac-cordingtoGNWTofcials.Todayssigningisanimportantsteptowardsapositivefutureforthepeo-pleoftheAchoDeneKoeFirstNationsaidChiefHarryDeneron.Ourpeo-plelookforwardtojoiningwiththegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesincreatingastrongprosper-ousNorthwestTerritorieswherewecanallsucceed.FortLiardonestepclosertosettlinglandclaimPoliticsFirstNationsPhotoBillBradenPhotoGNWTAchoDeneKoeChiefHarryDeneronleftandNWTPremierBobMcLeodsignanagreement-in-principleonlandsandresourcesaspartofthecommunityofFortLiardscomprehensivelandclaimandself-governmentnegotiations.CraftsmangivenheritageawardNormanWells-basedcraftsmanRickMuyreswasawardedthe2013HeritageAwardbytheCityofYellowknifelastweekforhisworkrestoringthe1930svintagelogWildcatCafe.Muyresisknownforhislogconstructionandlarge-scalefurniturearoundYellowknifeandNormanWells.MuyresaboveworksontheWildcatprojectinSeptember2011.