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PeelvsYukonthenextspectatorsportGwichinTribalCounciljoinscaseasintervenorsPoliticsFirstNations7TuesdayJuly12014FortChipewyanBicentennialMuseumHoursMonday-Friday900a.m.to500p.m.Saturday-Sunday100p.m.to500p.m.FreeAdmissionCallustoday780.697.3844Congratulationsathabascadeltacommunityschool2014GraduatesMtisLocal125wouldliketocongratulateallgraduatesofAthabascaDeltaCommunitySchoolOurcommunitygrowswithyoursuccessByMARYWALDENWhenthecurtainrisesonthePeelwatershedtrialinWhite-horseJuly7itsexpectedtobesopopularthattwoYukoncourtroomshavebeensetasidetoseatupto200spectators.WhatbeganasadisputeoverprotectingtheYukonportionofthetransboundarydrainagehasmushroomedintoamajorbrawlaboutthemeaningofmodern-daytreaties.Adramayearsinthemak-ingwithplentyofpublicinputalongthewayitseasytoseewhysomanymaywanttowatchthenextactunfoldincourtroom1andlivevideo-streamedtocourtroom3duringtheve-daytrial.ManymoremonthsmaypassbeforeYukonSupremeCourtJusticeRonVealeren-dersadecision.AddtothattwotofouryearsofappealspossiblyallthewaytotheSu-premeCourtofCanadaandthissagamaynotconcludeuntil2019or2020.ThelawsuitagainsttheYukongovernmentwaslaunchedinJanuarybytheNa-choNyakDunTrondekHwechinYukonConservationSocietyandCPAWS-Yukon.TheNWTsGwichinTribalCouncilGTCjoinedthecaseasintervenorsonJune20.GTCactingpresidentNor-manSnowshoesaidthecoun-cildecidedtoadditsnametothelegalrosterratherthanlaunchitsownsuittomakesureitsvoicewasheard.Wevedonetheanalysisastohowtoensureourin-terestsarebestmetinthisprocess...andwebelievethatparticipatingwiththeotherFirstNationsinthiscasewouldgetustheresultsthatweneedandensurethatourrightsareprotectedthroughthelegalsystemSnowshoesaidinaJune26phonein-terviewfromInuvik.Snowshoeandhisboardplantoattendthetrialtoshowthatweareheretopro-tecttherightsthatthelandclaimnegotiatorsestablishedwhentheynalizedthelandclaimsagreementin1992.FormerjusticeandBC-basedlawyerThomasBergerofMackenzieValleyPipelineInquiryfameisleadingthelegalchargefortheFirstNa-tionsandenvironmentalists.TheysayYukonbrokethelandclaimagreementsbyrejectingthePeelcom-missionslanduseplanatthe11thhour.Boththegov-ernmentandFirstNationsappointedpeopletothesix-membercommission.Thegovernmentontheotherhandsaysithadtherighttoreplacethecommis-sionsplanwhichprotected80percentofthewatershedwithonethatopensmostoftheregionspubliclandtoindustrialdevelopment.PublictostageactionsduringtrialWhiletheblack-robedlaw-yersarguethelawwithincourtroomwallsenviron-mentalistshaveplannedaseriesofPeel-relatedeventsoutsideandbeyond.Tomarkthetrialsopen-ingdayasilentvigilwillbeheldonthecourthousestepsoverthenoonhouronJuly7.AtthenearbyKwanlinDunCulturalCentrebesidetheYukonRiveraceremonialrewillbelitandtendedtodailytoprovideaplaceforPeelsupporterstogather.In-sidetherewillbeaneldersloungewithshuttleservicetoandfromthecourthouse.ThecentrealsowillhostaneveningofstoriesimagesandmusicdubbedVoicesofthePeelonJuly10.InDawsonadailynoonprayercirclewillbeheldthroughouttheweek.Edmon-tonmotorcyclistDonCurrybeginsaridefromtheretoInuvikstandinguponhisbikethewholewaytohelpraisemoneyforthecase.PhotoMaryWaldenWeareheretoprotecttherightsthatthelandclaimnegotiatorsestablishedwhentheynalizedthelandclaimsagreementin1992.NormanSnowshoeGwichinTribalCouncilThePeelwatershedtrialinWhitehorseYukonwilllikelyseehundredsofspectators.