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From http://www.cbc.ca/north/story/handley-afn-03032006.html

Handley grilled by N.W.T. native leaders
Last Updated: Mar 3 2006

Northwest Territories Premier Joe Handley received a rough reception at the regional Assembly of First Nations meeting in N'Dilo, N.W.T., on Thursday, with a number of chiefs taking shots at the territorial government and its priorities in dealing with aboriginal people.  

Handley updated the regional AFN chiefs on the status of agreements, such as resource revenue sharing and devolution.

But a number of chiefs wanted to talk about other issues.

"Your government talks about resources and revenue and devolution and so forth, but I think sometimes your government forgets whose land this really is," said Liidlii Kue Chief Keyna Norwegian.

"Who are the people that lived here before the territorial government was even set up?"

Norwegian also accused the premier of undermining Dehcho efforts to cut a deal with Imperial Oil over pipeline benefits and access. She asked Handley why there was no mention of the need for agreements with aboriginal people in a "letter of comfort" he sent to the Mackenzie Gas Project last fall.

The letter assured Imperial that royalty rates and taxes are not likely to increase should a devolution agreement be reached with Ottawa.

"Your letter didn't help us at all, it just supported them and it kind of gave them a feeling that there was no need for or urgency to really sign or negotiate proper access and benefits," she said.

But Handley says the letter only dealt with issues controlled by the territorial government, and access agreements are privately signed between aboriginal organizations and the pipeline proponent.

The Dehcho people have been unable to reach an agreement with Imperial Oil on an access and benefits agreement for the pipeline project (see exchange below - Imperial boss feels the heat).

Settle land claims, chief urges

Dettah Chief Peter Liske of the Yellowknives Dene says Handley's government should focus on settling unresolved land claims.

"If we resolve the Akaitcho process, I think devolution and resource revenue will happen," he says. "And if he concentrated on Dehcho, he wouldn't be having any problems with Mackenzie Valley pipeline."

Handley says his government is elected by all people in the territory, not just aboriginals.

"We are very much a public government and try to represent everyone and try to achieve that balance," said Handley in response to the criticism. "Sometimes it's very difficult to achieve it but it is a balance that we have to continue to deal with every day."

Handley says he will sit down with leaders to further discuss their concerns sometime Friday.

Imperial boss feels the heat

The head of Imperial's Mackenzie Valley Gas Project, Randy Ottenbrite, told N.W.T. chiefs the proposed $7-billion pipeline is well on its way to become a reality.

But Chief Keyna Norwegian demanded to know how he could say that when the company has yet make an acceptable offer for access to Dehcho lands.

"My concern is you are moving forward and not respecting us as the Dene people of the land," she said.

"Those are the things that should have been priorities – making sure you have access to people's lands before you spend millions of dollars on joint review panels and environmental assessments."

Ottenbrite refused to discuss the issue, suggesting Norwegian raise her concerns at the Joint Review Panel public hearings.

"My sense is that that discussion is best left not at this particular forum, but thank you for your comments," he said.

Grand Chief of the Dene Nation Noeline Villebrun says the Dene have good reason to distrust promises of fair treatment.

"There was an agreement 106 years ago that we would share the land and resources and Dene people have lived up to that agreement but the government and industry has not," she said.

Ottenbrite told the chiefs that several access agreements have been successfully reached in other regions and negotiations with the Dehcho are on-going.