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FortSmithplaguedbyoutofcontrolwildreAwildreinWoodBuffaloNationparkputtheTownofFortSmithonhighalertlastweekwhilerecrewsbattledtheblaze.Seepage2.AboriginalDaymarkedacrosstheNorthResidentsthroughouttheNorthwereoutandaboutlastweek-endcelebratingAboriginalDaywithgamesfoodandculturalactivities.Seepage22-23.TreatyPowerThepeopleofDenendehcametogethertocelebrate115yearsofTreaty8.Seepage13.MikisewCreere-electSteveCourtoreilleaschiefIncumbentChiefSteveCour-toreillewilltakeonanothertermasleaderoftheMiki-sewCreeFirstNationinFortChipewyan.Seepage3.Visitwww.norj.caAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince1977June242014Vol.38No.81.00ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheYellowknivesDeneFirstNationYKDFNhasanotherbeeftoaddtoitsgrowinglistofissueswiththefederalandterritorialgovernmentsfollowingcomplaintsbymembersthatnetsusedtoharvestfishintheYellowknifeRiverhavebeenconfiscatedbyofficials.YKDFNChiefEdwardSangrisofDettahsaidhehasreceivednumerouscallsfrommembersoverthepastfewmonthscomplainingthatemployeeswiththefederaldepartmentofFisheriesandOceansDFOremovedtheirshingnetsfromthewaterFishnetsseizedfromYellowknivesDeneChiefsaysregulationsareviolatingtreatyrightsMarlenePoitrasbeltsitoutforathirdplacenishinlastWednesdaynightstalentshowheldindowntownFortSmithinconjunctionwiththe44thDeneNationalAssembly.HundredsofdelegatesfromacrosstheNWTandnorthernAlbertaattendedthemeetingsandaccompanyingculturalcelebrations.Seepage12.becausetheywerenotprop-erlylabelled.AccordingtoSangrisDFOofficialsrecentlytoldtheFirstNationthatthoseharvestingfisharenowrequiredtotagtheirnetswithpersonalidentification-anameandnumber-forthefirsttimeinYKDFNhistory.Theyneverusedtodothatbefore.UpuntilthiswinterweneverhadanyproblemswithDFOseiz-ingournetswithina15-mileradiusofYellowknifebecausetheyautomaticallyknowthatthosenetsbelongtotheYellowknivesDeneSangristoldTheJournal.Butlatelytheyreseizingournets.Thechiefsaideldersinpar-ticularhaveexpressedseriousconcernoverthechangeinenforcement.Eversincetheycanre-membertheynevereverhadtoputanynumbersoranynamesontheirnetssowhystartnowSan-grissaid.Itsatreatyrightbeingbroughtdownfromgenerationtogenerationandnowwhatishappen-ingisthepeoplearetry-ingtochangeusthewaywelivehowweprovideforourselvesandhowwedothingshowweputfoodonthetable.Ifyoustartseizingnetsyouhavetostartbuyingusfoodhesaid.GeraldFillatrethedetach-mentsupervisorforDFOinYellowknifesaidregula-tionsformarkingshnetshavebeeninplacesincethe1970sbutarecentincreaseinstaffhasuppedthefocusonpatrolling.WhilehecouldntspeaktospeciclesFillatresaidtherearemultiplegroupsabletoshusingnetsintheYel-lowknifeareaincludingAb-originalnon-Aboriginalandcommercialshers.UnmarkednetsmaybeownedbyAb-originalshersbutcouldalsobeillegalcommercialnetsinareaswhereonlyAboriginalgroupsareallowedtoharvestforinstancehesaid.MypointofviewisthatAboriginalrightsareactuallybeingprotectedbypullingthesenetshesaid.Theycouldpotentiallybeillegalbutwithouttheidenticationwecantknow.Fillatresaidhisrstprior-ityistoeducatethepublicandencouragedanyonewithquestionstocontactthelocalDFOofce.Idrathertalktothemoverthephoneorinpersonattheofcethanoutintheeldwhentheyhavepotentiallydonesomethinghesaid.SeeTreatyonpage3PhotoMeaganWohlbergDeneleadersdoubtBCpipelinewillbebuiltDeneleadersintheNorthsaywidespreadFirstNationsoppositiontotheNorthernGatewaypipelinewillhaltitsconstruction.Seepage7.