NWT self-rule pact signed

Historic deal gives aboriginals share of Mackenzie oil, gas resources

Gary Park

Petroleum News Calgary Correspondent

Ownership of natural resources over a vast area of the lower Northwest Territories has been passed to 3,000 aboriginal residents in a historic northern land claim and self-government agreement.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Northwest Territories and aboriginal leaders signed the pact Aug. 25 that will give the Dogrib control over 10,100 square miles that includes both of Canada’s operating diamond mines, all royalties on resources extracted from the land and a share of revenues from oil and natural gas development along the Mackenzie Valley.

It makes the Dogrib the first aboriginal government in the Northwest Territories and sets the stage for the Deh Cho, Inuvialuit and Gwch'in, who occupy the major oil and natural gas lands of the Mackenzie Delta and Valley, to negotiate self government from their settled land claims.

“I can't tell you exactly how it's going to work out,” said Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development Minister Jim Antoine. “We're creating something totally new in Canada.”

The Dogrib are one of five tribes of the Dene people of Northern Canada, whose land stretches from Great Slave Lake to Great Bear Lake. Existing land ownership and use will still be honored under the Tli Cho agreement which is expected to come into force next spring after ratification by the Northwest Territories legislative assembly and the Canadian Parliament.

Resource ownership includes hunting and fishing rights

During 11 years of negotiations, the Tli Cho have formed partnerships with some of Canada’s largest resource companies and have bargained for valuable job and training guarantees from both the Diavik and Ekati diamond mines that have vaulted Canada to fifth place among the world’s diamond producers.

The Tli Cho council has also formed a wide network of aboriginal-owned companies that build roads and houses, operate an airport, run a sporting goods store, haul diamond ore and match northern workers with southern companies.

The Canadian government will retain control of criminal law and the Northwest Territories government will keep powers over services such as health and education for the next 10 years while the Tli Cho prepare to run those programs.

In a separate deal the Deline Dene, with land on Great Bear Lake about 300 miles northwest of Yellowknife, signed an agreement in principle Aug. 23 in a step towards self government. The Deline have 650 residents.