During the first week of September, 2006 delegates from across the Sahtu Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories gathered in Deline, NWT to attend the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated and Sahtu Dene Council Annual General Meeting. Deline, a traditional Dene community located near the Bear (Sahtu River) on the shore of Great Bear Lake, hosted this important Dene-Métis government event.

Host Chief, Charlie Neyelle opened the meeting with an opening prayer. Sahtu Dene Council Grand Chief Frank Andrew provided welcoming remarks along with Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated Chairperson Larry Tourangeau. Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya also provided opening remarks. The AGM then started with a question and answer session that featured the Premier of the NWT and several of his Cabinet Ministers.

GNWT Premier Joe Handley noted some important items by saying, “The Mackenzie Gas Project in my view remains the most important project. If it goes ahead we stand a chance of receiving significant benefits… The Mackenzie Gas Impact Fund has been confirmed… not a lot but it can help… Access & Benefits Agreements can help. We are also looking at various legacy projects. One is the Noval housing project. We also are a strong supporter of the Mackenzie Highway. It has also become clear that the pipeline is a high priority of the current (federal) government. The Prime Minister made this clear on his recent visit to the NWT…other important issue is Resource Revenue Sharing (RRS).” The Premier expressed his frustration with the slow pace of RRS negotiations and noted that the NWT is losing potentially 100s of millions of dollars in revenue. He stated, “we need this for social and other programs. We need to see more of the resource revenues taken from here (NWT) remain here… we need to advance this issue… we need to seize the moment, work with the current government… we are willing to work with the Sahtu.”

Vice Grand Chief Ronald Pierrot of the Sahtu Dene Council, who is also Chief & Mayor of Ft. Good Hope weighed into the RRS discussion by responding, “The Sahtu is a real hot spot for resource development. There is exploration for diamonds, zinc, gold, uranium, oil and gas….there is potential for huge resources…where does the negotiation process for RRS leave Canada? The Kelowna Accord was good but new Conservatives don’t have the same view. Are First Nations of the NWT guaranteed a seat at the table? I want a guarantee that we will be at the table… here in the Sahtu the Dene and Métis are working together, we want to move forward… we are being held back… we want to move ahead and we can’t wait for everyone to be ready.”

Premier Handley responded by saying, “On the Kelowna Accord you are right. The Prime Minister has never acknowledged that he would recognize all of it… As Premiers all 13 have said we want that Agreement to continue… on RRS… we shouldn’t be held up by some who are not ready… those of you who are ready should be allowed to move forward but leave the door open to others for when they are ready.”

Another touchy subject was the idea of placing a hydro dam on the Bear River. The GNWT has been supporting this development but Premier Handley announced that the GNWT had pulled back on this idea substantially. “We remain strong proponents of hydro. We have put the Big Bear River on the back burner…In the long run we feel it is a good business opportunity and clean energy. We will talk with Deline about a smaller impact hydro development.”

After the Premier and Cabinet Ministers flew out of town in a Twin Otter, Sahtu delegates discussed many other issues of importance to the Sahtu Dene-Métis. The environment, education, housing, social development, culture and economic development were high on the agenda. Delegates made time for community and cultural events. A Drum Dance and Hand Games event added traditional flavor to the Sahtu government’s AGM. The beautiful sparkling waters of Great Bear Lake provided some of the most delicious trout for meals. Caribou dry meat and other traditional foods were also available. As the AGM came to an end, delegates returned to their home communities more determined to continue advancing the Sahtu government’s agenda of working together in unity for their people.

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