Gwich'in granted permission to be heard in Peel case
The Gwich'in Tribal Council has obtained permission to act as an intervenor in the case in involving the land use plan for the Peel River watershed, the council announced this morning.
INUVIK – The Gwich'in Tribal Council has obtained permission to act as an intervenor in the case in involving the land use plan for the Peel River watershed, the council announced this morning.
Written submissions have been filed with the Yukon Supreme Court and the Gwich'in Tribal Council will make brief oral submissions during the hearing of the case.
"The Peel River watershed is of great significance to the Gwich'in people of the Northwest Territories,” Norman Snowshoe, the councils acting president, said in this morning's press release. "Rights to the Peel watershed are enshrined in the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. Through this submission we hope to advise the court of the importance of the rights established by our land claim.”
The Peel River watershed, says the release, is one of the largest intact ecosystems in North America and is of great historical, environmental, economic and spiritual significance to the Gwich'in people.
The Peel River Watershed covers almost 70,000 square kilometres and flows through the heart of the Gwich'in Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories.
"The Gwich'in Tribal Council participated extensively in the Peel Watershed Regional Land Use Plan process. The Yukon government chose to unilaterally rewrite the functional aspects of that plan, rendering the collaborative planning process useless,” Snowshoe said.
The intervenor submission was filed June 20 on behalf of the Gwich'in Tribal Council. The original plaintiffs remain the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, the Tr'ondek Hwech'in, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Yukon and the Yukon Conservation Society
The Gwich'in Tribal Council's board of directors will be present in Whitehorse when the court case begins July 7.
The Gwich'in Tribal Council represents the communities of Inuvik (Nihtat Gwich'in), Tsiigehtchic (Gwichya Gwich'in), Aklavik (Ehdiitat Gwich'in) and Fort McPherson (Tetlit Gwich'in), which sits on the shores of the Peel River. There are nearly 3,400 registered members of the Gwich'in Tribal Council.
Comments (4)
Up 9 Down 6
Just Say'in on Jun 28, 2014 at 1:32 pm
"People" since when did the obligation to consult become an obligation to capitulate? It is the Government in powers job to look at all the Data and make a decision that is best for all the people, not just a chosen few.
As every special interest group comes forward to shut down every conceivable project across Canada people should start to feel direct cause and effect for their decisions. If these value added projects are shelved or shut down funding to people should be cut back. Government jobs should be lost and people laid off as projects are scaled back.
A mine does not go ahead? Mining inspectors, AH&S, Workers Comp, Land use, Fisheries, Water Board, YESAB, Mine Rescue, Wildlife officers, loose their jobs as well. "Cause and Effect" That is what happens in the real world.
Up 7 Down 12
Big Decision Just In on Jun 27, 2014 at 1:56 am
A new development which will affect the Peel Plan court case.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/supreme-court-s-tsilhqot-in-first-nation-ruling-a-game-changer-for-all-1.2689140
'Use it or lose it' seems to be a big part of this court decision. I hope that the FN's are getting out into the Peel to hunt, fish, trap, and live.
The YP and the resource industry may end up wishing they accepted the 55% protection in the Peel Plan. (25% was to be decided in years to come, raising the possibility of 80% protection).
Up 8 Down 8
Denise Simmons on Jun 26, 2014 at 2:46 pm
I hope they bring in a Judge from BC.... Is it a conflict of interest for a Territorial Judge to make a decision, since he or she works for the Territorial Government?
Up 5 Down 9
bobby bitman on Jun 26, 2014 at 8:52 am
"The Yukon government chose to unilaterally rewrite the functional aspects of that plan, rendering the collaborative planning process useless,” Snowshoe said.
Well, that's it in a nut shell. What it comes down to, as I see it anyway, is whether or not the Yukon Government has the right to shove aside all consultation and make up a plan all on their own. That is what the courts have to decide, one way or the other.