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6TuesdayMay272014PoliticsFirstNationsByMEAGANWOHLBERGAsifoneNobelPeacePrizelaureatewasntenoughre-nownedAmericanhumanrightsactivistJodyWilliamswilljoinfellowlaureateArch-bishopDesmondTutuatwhatisquicklybecomingahighproleconferencethisweek-endinnorthernAlbertafo-cusedonhonouringtreaties.Conferenceorganizers-theAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationACFNandlawrmOlthuisKleerTownshend-an-nouncedlastweekthatWil-liamsknownbestforherworkonbanninglandminesalongwithindigenousenvironmen-talactivistandpoliticianWi-nonaLaDukewillbeaddedtothebillofspeakersatAsLongastheRiversFlowaconferenceontreaties.WinonaLaDukeandJodyWilliamsbothspeakwithpowerfulvoicesaboutthestateofourplanetandtheroleweplayasaspecies.Wearehonouredtohavethemcometoourtraditionalterritorytosharetheirviewsaboutwaysandmeanswecanworkto-gethertoaddresssomeofthebiggestchallengesfacedonthisplanetACFNChiefAllanAdamsaidinapressreleaselastweek.LaDukewhovisitedFortMcMurraylastyearfortheannualTarSandsHealingWalkisexecutivedirectorofHonortheEarthandtheWhiteEarthLandRecov-eryProjectbothindige-nousenvironmentaljusticeorganizations.Sheranalong-sideRalphNaderascandi-dateforvicepresidentoftheUnitedStatesduringthe1996and2000federalelections.LaDukeandWilliamsjointhealready-conrmedTutualongwithformerNWTpre-mierStephenKakfwiandfor-merOntariopremierBobRaetotalkaboutexistingproblemswiththecurrenttreatyrelation-shipandwhatresourcedevel-opmentthatrespectstreatyrightscanlooklike.OtherspeakersrecentlyaddedtotheagendaincludeDr.JohnOConnoraphy-sicianwhoseworkinFortChipewyanandFortMcKayfoundelevatedratesofcan-cersdownstreamfromoil-sandsdevelopmentandOvideMercrediformerna-tionalchiefoftheAssemblyofFirstNations.TheconferenceistakingplaceMay31-June1inFortMcMurrayatACFNsAcdenbuilding.ItisfreeforACFNmembersopentothepublicandcanbeviewedonlineviawebcast.Formoredetailsontheconferenceandhowtoreg-istervisitwww.aslongas-theriversow.comMorebignamesaddedtotreatyconferenceagendaPhotoMeaganWohlbergIndigenousenvironmentalactivistWinonaLaDulcespeaksatlastyearsTarSandsHealingWalknearFortMcMurray.Shewillbereturningfortheconferencethisweekend.PhotoJustinHochNobelPeacePrizelaureateJodyWilliamshasbeenaddedtothebillofspeakersatAsLongastheRiversFlowaconferenceontreatiesinFortMcMurray.MoreAboriginalgroupssignontodevolutiondealByMEAGANWOHLBERGFourAboriginalgovern-mentsaddedtheirnamestothelistofpartiestotheNWTdevolutiondealwithCanadaonMonday.RepresentativesoftheAchoDeneKoeFirstNa-tionADKFortLiardMtisLocal67DeninuKueFirstNationDKFNandSaltRiverFirstNationjoinedPremierBobMcLeodforasigningceremonyattheGreatHalloftheLegislatureMon-dayafternoon.Thisisagoodtimeforustosignontothisdevolu-tionagreementADKChiefHarryDeneronsaidinapressrelease.WearespeakingforFortLiardandforusalothaschanged.WehavereachedanAgreement-in-Principleandwearereadytomoveforward.DKFNChiefLouisBalsil-lieechoedasimilarmessage.Thesigningofthedevo-lutionagreementisaposi-tivestepforDeninuKueFirstNation.Itwillenableustobemoreself-sufcientandcreateemploymenttoimprovethefutureforouryouthBalsilliesaid.ThedevolutionagreementopensthedoorsforDeninuKueFirstNationtonallyben-etfromtheresourcede-velopmentoccurringwithinAkaitchoTerritoryandacrosstheNorthwestTerritories.SRFNChiefFriedaMartseloscalleditanhis-toricdayfortheFirstNation.Thesigningofthedevo-lutionagreementhasbeenaworkinprogressandtodayweareaccomplishingourSaltRiverFirstNationmandateasaseparateentitywiththegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesshesaid.McLeodsaidhewasverypleasedtoaddfourmorepartiestotheagreementthatwassignedlastyearandcameintoeffectonApr.1.NowthatdevolutionhasbeenimplementeditremainsimportanttotheNorthwestTerritoriesthatAboriginalgovernmentsareabletopar-ticipateandbenetthepre-miersaid.ThefourgovernmentsjointheInuvialuitRegionalCorp.theNWTMtisNa-tionSahtuSecretariatInc.GwichinTribalCouncilandTlichoGovernmentaspar-tiestodevolutionalongwithCanadaandtheGNWT.CurrentlymembersoftheAkaitchoandDehchogov-ernmentsremainoutsideoftheagreement.FederalAboriginalAffairsandNorthernDevelopmentMinisterBernardValcourtextendedhiscongratulationstothenewsignatories.DevolutionprovidesNorth-ernerswithgreatercontrolovertheirlandsandresourcesandimprovedregulatoryprocessesintheNorthwestTerritories.ItalsoencouragesinvestmentintheNorthwestTerritorieswhileensuringthatresourcedevelop-mentproceedsinasustainablefashionsothattheresultingeconomicbenetscanbeen-joyedbyfuturegenerationshesaidinastatement.NWTPremierBobMcLeodhoiststhedevolutionagreementsignedwithpresidentErnieMcLeodleftoftheFortLiardMetisLocal67andChiefHarryDeneronoftheAchoDeneKoeFirstNationwhileNahendehMLAKevinMenecocherightwitnessesthehistoriceventataceremonyinYellowknifeonMay26.FromleftHenryBeaverSr.andChiefFriedaMartselosoftheSaltRiverFirstNationposewiththefreshlysigneddevolutionagreementPremierBobMcLeodandThebachaMLAMichaelMiltenberger.PhotosBillBradenPoliticsDevolution