The Kaska Nation leaders are meeting this week to consider implementing a moratorium on all exploration projects in their traditional lands.

The strategy would be in response to what they call the continued assault on their aboriginal and title rights by the Yukon government.

Today, during the second day of the Yukon Geoscience Forum, the chiefs of the Liard First Nation and the Ross River Dena cautioned investors and exploration companies that it may not be business as usual for long.

The moratorium could include the Kaska blocking the North Canol Road for all mining activity to allow demonstrations of Kaska traditional use of these areas to exercise their rights.

The Kaska will also consider a well-publicized website for communicating to potential investors and financial industry how the Yukon government conducts itself.

Other items for consideration are protests in Vancouver for the Premier's Reception and Yukon Night at the Cordilleran Round Up in January.

Kaska leaders will also meet with other Yukon First Nations experiencing similar frustration with the government related to the resource industry and the environment to expand the moratorium.

Following their meetings and prior to executing any plans, Kaska leaders intend to seek a meeting with the Yukon Chamber of Mines to discuss these matters.

The Kaska leaders said their issues are primarily with the government, not industry.

The Kaska have signed no land claim agreement with either Canada or Yukon, the leaders pointed out.

They hold unextinguished aboriginal rights and title to their Territory. They have never agreed to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) process or current mining legislation, as a result of this status.

"The premier (Darrell Pasloski) is attempting to bully us into a corner,” said Ross River Dena Council Chief Jack Caesar.

"Our people are no longer willing sit on the sidelines while the premier uses his majority in the legislature to try to deny our rights and wipe out obligations made to Yukon First Nations in agreements with Yukon.

"Kaska leaders are considering using roads and other areas to stage active demonstrations of traditional use of the land.

"Unlike YTG, though, Kaska will not break agreements with mining companies that we have made. Those commitments will be honoured by the Kaska.”

Yukoners have been watching Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Brad Cathers "in over his head, being completely manipulated by a department that is terribly conflicted as both the promoter and regulator of mining,” the leaders said.

"Yukoners have been watching recommendations being manipulated with the Peel; YESAB recommendations being disregarded by the minister on Class 3 Licenses like Tarsis Resources.

"Yukoners have watched a government prepared to break agreements with all Yukon First Nations on oil and gas in an attempt to allow large scale fracking. All of this with no regard for the environment or proper regulatory diligence.”

The Yukon government recently introduced legislation to amend Section 13 of the Yukon Oil and Gas Act, which had recognized that Kaska consent is required for Oil and Gas Development in the Kaska traditional lands.

The consent provision was initially provided by YTG as quid pro quo in devolution negotiations with Yukon First Nations.

Chief Liard McMillan explained, "It is clear to us that the Yukon government will use every means at their disposal to try to roll over our rights. We have been here for thousands of years, and now we are being dictated to.

"Kaska want to be partners with the mining industry and to welcome them to our traditional lands, but the YTG's reckless, confrontational approach of picking fights is only going to make investment dry up even more than we are already seeing.

"Nor will it help create partnerships with us to solve energy and road infrastructure issues.”

The Kaska also have a message for the exploration companies and their investors.

"We are not anti-development,” said Caesar, "and we want to support environmentally responsible development in Kaska Territory.

"But this government is demanding that we just be quiet and allow the riches of lands to be taken while they and proponents benefit and our people continue in poverty. Hear this: that is not going to happen.”

"I would be looking at places other than Yukon to invest,” said Kaska Dena Council Chair George Miller. "This is a government that will stop at nothing, that will ignore rights and will then blame the victim. Today it's the Kaska, tomorrow this government could turn on the mining companies themselves, taking away rights and imposing new rules and regulations.

"Yukoners are seeing this in the Peel and at Eagle Plains and the (southeast Yukon) where the YTG wants to engage in massive scale fracking.”

Added Ceasar: "We are not prepared to (be) passive observers to our own future.

"We will not stand by while Kaska lands are raped and members and our communities marginalized and committed to continued poverty while the YTG tries to suck more money out of resources in Kaska lands creating more legacies like the Faro mine.”

Cathers has said years and millions of dollars have gone into negotiating oil and gas rights with the Kaska, and that it's time for the government to advance its plans on the issue.