Premier Darrell Pasloski's approach to land use planning in the Peel watershed has been underhanded, say the chiefs of the four First Nations with traditional ties to the watershed.

Chief Simon Mervyn of the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun said in an interview this morning the Yukon government has torpedoed seven years of co-operative planning with its announcement this week that from now on, planning will be by government rules.

In a joint press release issued by the chiefs this morning, Chief Eddie Taylor of Tr'ondek Hwech'in says the announcement "blindsided” the First Nations.

President Richard Nerysoo of the Gwich'in Tribal Council called the government's proclamation disturbing.

"We were taken aback by the surprising actions of the Yukon government,” said Chief Norma Kassi of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

Mervyn said by telephone from Mayo the First Nation absolutely felt stabbed in the back by Pasloski's government.

"We had a legal opinion prepared and we presented that today to the Yukon government and it is clear that we have a good position,” Mervyn said.

"First Nation people are honest and transparent, and we are committed to the integrity of protecting our land.

"We will stand up for our commitment and we are going to have round heels when we get finished with this, because we will be digging them in.”

Pasloski was unavailable for comment today.

Mervyn said the legal opinion provided to the First Nation says the Yukon Party government has broken the spirit and intent of the aboriginal land claim settlements with its edict.

It has sent an unsettling message to other Yukon First Nations who are in or will be entering land use planning initiatives for their traditional territories.

After several years of planning and public debate, the Peel Watershed Planning Commission recommended 80 per cent of the 68,042 square kilometres be protected from industrial development.

Development, it recommended, should be allowed in the remaining 20 per cent, subject to the standard environmental guidelines.

The four First Nations supported the plan, explaining that in the spirit of co-operation, they had moved off their original position of 100 per cent protection.

The government has never stated its position, but did ask the planning commission to have another look at its recommendation, because it was weighted to heavily toward protection.

The commission returned last July with the same recommendation, essentially.

Not until Tuesday has the Yukon government stated its position.

According to the eight guiding principles, industrial development will be allowed throughout the watershed – along with reasonable access – except in areas protected for their environmental values.

Because 98 per cent of the watershed is territorial Crown land, the government has the final say on what activities will and will not be allowed, according to the land claim settlements.

The announcement comes on the eve of the last round of public consultation to finalize a land use plan for the Peel River watershed.

Many have argued the area is to valuable as one of the last tracts of unspoiled wilderness in the Yukon – if not the world – to be opened up for development.

The rest of the Yukon, they have pointed, is on fire with mining activity, so it's not like anybody is asking for no development in the Yukon.

Industry, on the other hand, argues its approach to development is responsible and can be done with minimal impact to the environment.

Pasloski's government has come under heavy fire for its announcement this week, and not just from the First Nations.

Representatives of the Yukon Conservation Society and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Association, and others, have issued scolding statements regarding the direction taken by Pasloski. (See separate stories, pages 6, 7.)

The eight principles laid out in the proclamation run opposite to the wilderness protection the majority of Yukoners want to see in the Peel watershed, they insisted.

Pasloski was accused of intentionally hiding his party's true colours until after last October's territorial election so he wouldn't have to answer to the electorate.

If this was the way it was going to be, said the representatives of YCS and CPAWS, the Yukon Party should have said so seven years ago when the Peel planning process started.

Dave Loeks, who's been instrumental on the planning commission since it was formed, was also harshly critical of this week's announcement.

He too suggested if that's the way it was going to be, the government could have saved a lot of time and money if it had simply said so at the start.

"We they're saying is we really don't need a planning process; we're going to do it on our own around a table with government people,” Loeks said.

Mervyn said he is also bothered about how the whole thing came down, and how he's concerned the minds of young impressionable cabinet ministers are being overrun with the gunslinger mentality.

On Monday afternoon, the chief recalled, they met in the spirit of co-operation with Environment Minister Currie Dixon and Energy, Mines, and Resources Minister Brad Cathers.

Both men were smiling while as they presented the chiefs with their eight principles, and the chiefs provided them with their position paper, then left.

Mervyn said 20 minutes later, the government announced the eight principles presented to the chiefs are not negotiable.

The dictatorial mentality is being moulded into the minds of the young ministers, the chief suggested.

"I worry about that,” he said. "Our young people see that and right away the red flags go up.

"The gun sight mentality is clearly visible with the current government of the day.”