Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
TuesdayMarch320153POLITICSFIRSTNATIONSTlichoSahtutag-teamlawsuitstostallNWTsuperboardCourtgrantsinjunctiontoprotectregionalboardsfromamalgamationByMEAGANWOHLBERGLegalactionsbyAboriginalgovern-mentsintheNorthwestTerritoriesareprovingsuccessfulinstallingcontrover-sialchangestotheterritorysregulatoryregimewhichwouldeliminatethere-gionallandandwaterboardsestablishedthroughthelandclaims.TheNWTSupremeCourtgrantedtheTlichoGovernmentaninjunctionlastweekagainstongoingchangestotheMackenzieValleyResourceManagementActMVRMAthatwouldamalgamatetheWekezhiLandandWaterBoardwithotherregionalboardsintoonesuperboard.Theinjunctiongrantstemporaryprotec-tionnotonlytoWekezhibutpreservestheGwichinandSahtuboardsfortheremainderoftheTlichoGovernmentslawsuitagainsttheMVRMA.ThisdecisionisahugewinfortheTli-choandforalloftheAboriginalpeoplesintheNWTGrandChiefEddieErasmusan-nouncedSunday.ThecourtrecognizedthepotentiallydisastrouseffectsofCanadasac-tionsandexerciseditsjurisdictiontoprotectourconstitutionally-protectedrightsassetoutintheTlichoAgreementwhileourlaw-suitproceeds.InherrulingJusticeKaranShanersaidthelawsuitraisesaseriousconstitutionalissuetobetriedandareasonablepossibil-itythatCanadahasoversteppedtheboundsofwhatispermittedtodoundertheTlichoAgreement.Erasmussaidhecouldnotbehappierwiththeruling.Thecourtsstatementisclearourmod-erndaytreatyandthepromiseswithinitcannotsimplybeignoredbyCanadahesaid.ThisinjunctionensuresTlichowillbeabletocontinuetoprotectWekezhiandplayourconstitutionally-protectedroleinwaterandlandmanagementinourterritory.TheTlicholedtheirlawsuitagainstthefederalgovernmentinMay2014followingthepassageofamendmentstotheMVRMAinOttawa.Therequestforaninjunctionwasacriticalstepincludedinthelegalaction.Canadanowhastheoptionofappealingtheinjunction.SahtuleconcurrentlawsuitRidingthecoattailsoftheTlichovictorytheSahtuSecretariatInc.SSIfileditsownsimilarlawsuitagainsttheMVRMAlastweek.LiketheTlichoSSIisarguingthattheeliminationofregionallandandwaterboardsinfavourofasuperboardviolatesthetermsofthelandclaimsanddilutesAboriginalgovernmentsabilitytoeffec-tivelyco-manageresourcedevelopmentintheterritory.Workonthenew11-personsuperboardisalreadyunderwayinOttawawiththeboardoriginallyscheduledtotakeeffectonApr.1.Theboardwillincludevemembersnom-inatedbyAboriginalgovernmentsintheGwichinSahtuTlichoDehchoandAkai-tchoregionstwomembersnominatedbytheterritorialgovernmentthreemembersnominatedbythefederalgovernmentandachairnominatedbythefederalministerofAboriginalAffairsandNorthernDevelop-mentCanada.ChangestotheMVRMAwereincludedinomnibuslegislationlastspringwiththeintroductionofdevolutionlegislationfortheNWT.ThoughmostcontroloverlandswaterandresourceshasbeentransferredtotheterritorialgovernmentauthorityovertheMVRMAremainswithCanadauntiltheamendmentsarenalized.ThecourtsstatementisclearourmoderndaytreatyandthepromiseswithinitcannotsimplybeignoredbyCanada.TlichoGrandChiefEddieErasmusFilephotoTlichoGrandChiefEddieErasmussayshecouldnotbehappierwiththecourtsdecision.UnionpresidentbumpedbyboardchairscarContinuedfrompage1.Severalallegationsofpersonalmisconductoverthecourseofthestrikeoatedtothesur-facelastweekastheconictcametoanend.UNWpresidentToddParsonssaidhewashittwicebyacardrivenbyHeronwhilemarchingwiththestrikersontherstdayofpicketing.WhileIwaswalkingthepicketlineMr.HerondecidedtobumpintomeatwhichpointIdidstopandpointedathimParsonssaid.ItoldhimIhadthelegalrighttopicketontheprem-ises.Hedidthatbothdrivingontothepropertyandleavingtheproperty.Parsonsaself-proclaimedseasonedpicketersaidthiswasthersttimeanemployerfeltttocomeintocontactwithhimwhilelawfullyprotesting.Generallytheunionhasalegalrighttostopvehiclestopassoutinformationinregardstothereasonandtherationalewhywerepicketinghesaid.Itsquitecommontoimpedetheentrancetoanimportantpropertyforseveralminutes.ParsonsbroughtthemattertotheRCMPthoughhedidnotpresscharges.HerondeniedhittingParsonswithhisvehicle.Ididntbumpmycarintohim.Hewasstand-inginfrontofmyvehicleandIaskedhimtomoveHeronsaid.HedidntmovesoIsworeathimandhesaidhewasgoingtochargemesoIsaidgoahead.ParsonswasnottheonlypersonunimpressedwithHeronsbehaviouroverthedurationofthestrikeaction.MembersoftheNWTMtisNa-tionNWTMNledacomplaintagainstHeronwithpresidentKenHudsonintheformofalet-ter.ThoughHeronistheboardschairhealsositsasanappointeeofNWTMN.Acoupleofourmemberswhoactuallyworktherequestioned...whetherornotourrepre-sentativeislookingoutfortheirinterestfortheMtismembersHudsonsaidNormallyyoudthinkthehousingcorporationjusttakescareoftheirpeoplemakingsuretheygetproperhous-ingsoIdidntreallyanticipatethattheymightbeinvolvedinthestrikeorthatourrepwouldbeinvolved.Heroncalledthecomplaintsjustanothertac-ticbytheunion.IknewtherewerecomplaintsaboutmefromtheunionandfromdayoneIstooduptothatHeronsaid.AsfortheMtislettertheyhavetodowhattheyneedtodotheyhadtouseeveryforceandallegationthattheycouldtotrytogettheirwayandthatsthewayunionthingswork.Hudsonsaidtheallegationswerentthatstrongbutdidnotehewouldbelookingintothem.StrikingworkersinFortSmithhunguptheirpicketsignsforgoodlastThursdayaftertalksresultedinanewcontract.PhotoDaliCarmichaelPOLITICSLABOUR