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2TuesdayApril72015POLITICSABORIGINALNEWSBRIEFSGNWTsetsterritorialelectiondateInordertoavoidanyoverlapwiththefederalelection-settotakeplacethisyearonOct.19-theGNWThasdeter-minedtheterritorialelectionswilltakeplaceinlateNo-vember.Thedecisionreinforcesanactpassedintheterri-toryslegislativeassemblylastfallthatstatedifthefederalandterritorialelectionswerestillsettobumpagainsteachotherasofApr.1thedateoftheterritorialelectionwouldbeshiftedfromOct.5toNov.23.Themovewasmadetoavoidvoterandpollvolunteerburnout.RCMPinvestigatingsuddendeathinYellowknifeYellowknifeRCMPareinvestigatingasuddendeaththattookplaceinthecityoverEasterweekend.OnApr.3justafter800a.m.policerespondedtoareportofadeceasedmalelocatedinthe5000blockofthealleybetween48thand49thStreets.Asofyetacauseofdeathhasnotbeende-termined.Initialinvestigationshavenotfoundanyevidenceoffoulplay.Thedeathisstillunderinvestigation.Policewillnotbereleasingmoreinformationatthistime.PowerpricesincreaseinNWTcommunitiesItsnoprankpowerratesinsomeNWTcommunitiesrecentlyshotupbyabout6.2percentasthefinaloffourplannedrateincreasestookeffectonApr.1.In2012theNWTPowerCorp.successfullyappliedtothePublicUtilitiesBoardtoincreaseratesby28.4percenttobephasedinoverseveralyearsinattempttoshieldcustomersfromsomeofthefinancialimpact.NorthSlaveMtissettlecariboulawsuitwithGNWTByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheNorthSlaveMtisAl-lianceNSMAsaysithasbegunanewrelationshipwiththegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesfollow-ingthesettlementofalong-standingcourtbattleovertheirrighttohuntcaribou.EnvironmentandNatu-ralResourcesENRMinis-terMichaelMiltenbergerre-centlysentalettertoNSMApresidentBillEngepromisingtheMtisanequitableallo-cationoftagsforthestrug-glingBathurstherdshouldtheherdspopulationreboundenoughtoonceagainallowforalimitedAboriginalharvest.WelookforwardtobuildinganewrelationshipwithNSMAaswemanagethesedifcultdecisionsandworktowardsthelong-termsustainabilityofthisimportantresourceMiltenbergerconcluded.EngesaiditsthersttimeNSMAmemberswillhavehadaccesstotheherdsincehar-vestingrestrictionswererstimplementedin2010.SincethenonlytheTlichoGovern-mentandYellowknivesDenehavebeengivenlimitedtagstoharvestBathurstcariboupromptingEngetolaunchanNWTSupremeCourtchallengeseekingequalaccess.ThisistheresultofclosetoveyearsoflegalbattleswithENREngesaidoftherecentturnofevents.Whatweseegoingdowntheroadnowisanewrelationshipagovernment-to-governmentrelationship.ThoughatotalbanwasplacedontheBathurstherdthisseason15bullswereal-lottedeachAboriginalgroupforceremonialpurposesunderwhichNSMAwashandedtags.TheNSMAwasalsoincludedamongthelistofAboriginalgovernmentsgrantedaccesstothe1800tagsavailableforhuntingtheneighbouringBluenose-Eastherdwhichwasrecentlybroughtunderstricterharvestinglimitsduetodecliningnumbersandin-creasedhuntingpressures.Undertheallocationpolicyforthe2014-15seasonNSMAisallowed50Bluenose-Easttags.FromMar.16to20fourNSMAmembersventurednortheastofWhationtheGrandinRivertoharvest23Bluenose-Eastcaribou.EngesaidNSMAmembersareexcitedtobeabletohuntindigenoustiestotheNorthSlaveinsteadrecommendingitsmembersjoinothertablesliketheongoingNWTMtisNationprocessortheexist-ingTlichoGovernmentclaim.ButthefactthatNSMAwasgivenitsownsetoftagsseparatefromtheNWTMtisNationandotherAboriginalgroupssupportsitsclaimtotheareaasadistinctculturalentityEngesaidanditsas-sertedAboriginalrighttoharvestintheNorthSlave.caribouintheNorthSlaveonceagain.TheMtisweredeniedtheirAboriginalrighttohuntatra-ditionalpartoftheirdietandourpeoplesufferedgreatlybe-causeofithesaid.Sothisisaverygreatdayforus.CanadashouldfollowsuitEngeWhiletherecentabout-facehasonlyconcernedcaribouEngeexpectsthegovern-mentsrecognitionofNSMAmembersAboriginalharvest-ingrightsisagoodomenfortheallianceinitsattemptstosecurealandclaimnegoti-atingtablewiththefederalgovernment.CanadaturneddownNS-MAslatestrequesttobeginnegotiationsstatingthattheNSMAisnotadistinctAb-originalgovernmentwithWhatthisdoesisclearlydemonstratethattheNorthSlaveMtisAllianceisnotrepresentedbytheNWTMtisNationhesaid.Wereaseparateentity.InthefutureEngehopestheGNWTwillalsobemoreinclusiveoftheNSMAwhendecidingonresourcedevel-opmentprojectsintheNorthSlave.ThoughtheNSMAhasbeenincludedinimpactbenefitnegotiationswithvariousminingcompaniesEngesaidthatwasdonevol-untarilybyindustryratherthanpromptedbytheGNWT.Whatweexpectwiththisgovernment-to-governmentrelationshipisitwillthenre-quiretheGNWTtoconsultandaccommodatewheneversomeoneiscontemplatingde-velopmentonourtraditionallandsEngesaid.Whatweseegoingdowntheroadnowisanewrelationshipagovernment-to-governmentrelationship.BillEngeNorthSlaveMtisAllianceFromleftNSMAmembersAlanHarmanJr.ScottHarmanandfatherAlanHarmanSr.huntBluenose-EastcaribouontheGrandinRivernearWhatiinMarchwherefourNSMAmembersharvested23caribou.PhotoTrevorDixonBennett