The Kaska of southeast Yukon and northern B.C. have signed an exploration agreement with Predator group.

The deal was announced Wednesday out of Vancouver, during the annual Mineral Exploration Roundup.

Chief Liard McMillan of Watson Lake's Liard First Nation suggested in an interview this morning the agreement is the type of co-operation the Kaska are looking for from companies interested in working in their traditional territory.

"For the Kaska, we have a company that is going to deal with the Kaska respectfully and generate contract opportunities as well as other business opportunities,” the chief told the Star from the roundup.

"And they are also willing to work with us to meet a certain environment standard regarding our aboriginal rights and title and our way of life.”

The Predator Group includes Golden Predator Corp., Silver Predator Corp. and Redtail Metals Corp. The company and the Kaska have been working together and building a relationship for several months.

The agreement applies to exploration projects, but not future mine development projects.

The Kaska issued a press release Tuesday from Vancouver warning mining companies that if they wanted to work on the "unsurrendered” lands of the Kaska, they would be wise to contact the Kaska first.

No exploration or development on the Kaskas' traditional territory will be allowed without the Kaskas' consent, said the press release.

The release was also harshly critical of Premier Darrell Pasloski and his government for not showing any real willingness to work with the Kaska to revolve outstanding issues.

The premier's actions, said the news release, would only lead to confrontation and legal action.

Pasloski, however, said he was disappointed with the news release issued because he has been meeting with the Kaska leadership and remains committed to working with them.

Both the NDP and the Liberals were quick to take advantage of Wednesday's announcement of an agreement between the Kaska and the Predator Group.

It's a sign of the troubled Yukon Party times when a government can't see its way through to co-operation with the Kaska but others seem to have no problem, the territory's NDP and Liberals suggested in separate new releases.

The premier, however, said this morning he will continue working with the Kaska.

The list of successes his party has achieved in dealing with First Nations across the Yukon is long and varied, from addressing pressing social matters to issues of environmental concern, Pasloski insisted.

It appears, said the premier, the opposition parties prefer to dwell in the dark rather than live in the light.

The agreement between the Kaska and Predator Group sets out the Kaskas' support for mineral exploration activities, provided the work meets environmental and regulatory requirement.

It provides for "Kaska participation and support for the company's permitting applications, subject to a clear process for review and input prior to filing, and a mechanism to expeditiously address and resolve any concerns Kaska may have.”

The Predator Group promises preferential employment and economic development opportunities for the Kaska, along with the ability to negotiate a piece of the pie in future exploration and development projects.

The company has also committed to establish a community development fund, and to work with the Kaska to address their concerns regarding mineral claims in the Frances Lake study area.

McMillan said the Frances Lake claims were staked before the relationship between the Kaska and Golden Predator began to really gell.

The Frances Lake area is of great importance to the Kaska. It was once identified as a candidate for a special management area when the Kaska were still involved in land claim negotiations, he pointed out.

Janet Lee-Sheriff of the Predator Group said this morning the company recognizes the importance of partnering with the Kaska.

How much employment and economic development opportunity will be available this year as a result of the agreement largely depends on how much money the Predator Group can raise, she said.

Lee-Sheriff said it's difficult these days to secure investment dollars.

"So we are hoping that in hard times, difficult times, to lay the ground work of where we want to go when it is busy, so there are no problems, or fewer problems,” she said, emphasizing the exploration agreement is a multi-year agreement.

"It is important to us to bring the community along with us,” Lee-Sheriff said. "They have to realize wealth at every stage.”

She said the company will work to help the Kaska build direct equity into the Predator Group projects as they move forward.

"Remember: we are on unsettled territory, and the way we look at it is this is their land and we are in their backyard, and if we want to be accepted in their backyard, we have to work with the community so they feel good about us being there.”

Lee-Sheriff said Wednesday's agreement is the product a long-standing relationship with the Kaska, and was in the books well before the Kaskas' Tuesday proclamation of a moratorium.