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TuesdayDecember16201411ByMEAGANWOHLBERGWithFirstNationsandgovernmentsgoingheadtoheadincourtroomsacrossthecoun-tryDeneNationalChiefBillErasmusishopingthoseintheNWTcanavoidafuturelawsuitagainsttheterritorialgovernmentbybeingin-cludedinanytalksonfuturepipelines.NWTPremierBobMcLeodmetwithAl-bertaPremierJimPrenticeinNovembertotalkaboutanarrayofinterjurisdictionalissuesmostnotablyplansforasharedenergystrat-egywhichincludesthepossibilityofaNorth-ernoilsandspipelinethroughtheterritory.ErasmuswholearnedofthemeetingthroughmediareportschidedMcLeodforbeginningtalksabouttheprojectbeforecom-ingtoFirstNationshintingthatnopipelineprojectwouldgothroughwithoutsupportfromindigenouscommunities.AsyouknowtheDeneNationwhichcon-sistsofthe30communitiesthroughouttheMackenzieValleyhavemadeitveryclearthattheydontsupporttheexpansionofthetarsandsuntilmuchworkisdoneErasmuswroteinalettertothepremierlastweek.Weaskthatyourefrainfromtalkingaboutourlandsresourcesandterritoryssicinourabsence.OurpeopleareveryconcernedespeciallytodaywhentheTliChoareintheSupremeCourtoftheNorthwestTerritoriestodefendthemselvesagainsttheFederalandTerritorialGovernmentsunderminingoftheirtreaty.TheTlichoGovernmentwasincourtear-lierthismonthtocontestamendmentsmadebythefederalgovernmenttoenvironmentaltheNWTincludingtheTlichosWekezhiboardwhichwasestablishedthroughtheFirstNationscomprehensivelandclaim.Thatsameweekaprecedent-settingcourtvictorycameoutoftheYukonwhereFirstNationsweresuccessfulinprovingtheYukonGovernmentviolatedtheirlandclaimsbycre-atingandapprovingitsownlanduseplanforthePeelwatershedthatwasnotsupportedbyFirstNations.ErasmussaiditstimeforgovernmentsandFirstNationstostartworkingtogetherout-sideoflengthyandexpensivelegalbattleswhichwillrequiretheCrowntostarthon-ouringthetreaties.TheNorthisasmallcommunityoffamiliesthathavebeenhereforalongtime.Letsworktogetheranddeterminethingsoutofcourthetoldthepremier.WewelcomeyourinsightasaTerritorialGovernment.WealsowelcomethedayeverygovernmentintheNorthisrespect-fulandencouragedtohavepeaceorderandgoodgovernmentsowehaveacommonfuture.PremierMcLeodalsotheministerforAb-originalAffairsdidnotrespondtorequestsforcomment.ChiefscoldsNWTpremierfortalkingpipelineswithAlbertaFORTMCMURRAYGreatSlaveLakeWoodBuffaloNationalParkHAYRIVERDELTAassessmentlegislationintheNWTpushedthroughwiththedevolutionbill.ThosechangesdissolveregionallandandwaterboardsinPOLITICSFIRSTNATIONSJournalgraphicOnepossiblerouteforapotentialoilsandspipelinenorthaslaidoutbyCalgaryrmCantec.TheNorthisasmallcommunityoffamiliesthathavebeenhereforalongtime.Letsworktogetheranddeterminethingsoutofcourt.BillErasmusDeneNation