Mr. Chairman, Treaty 8 has indicated they are willing to meet with Caucus. A meeting with me was not what they were asking for. So we have passed it on to Caucus. I think it is important to make some comments here about the rift between certain political leaders in the Mackenzie Valley. It involves the former regions and members of the Dene Nation, as well as myself. When the comprehensive claim of the Dene-Metis collapsed, there was an alternative given that those people who wanted to reject the comprehensive claim. There was no alternative given to people of the communities to vote on it. The Dene assembly rejected, although it wasn't unanimous, the comprehensive claim, rather than give people a chance to vote on whether they wanted to reject it or accept it. They elected to throw it out. There was no leadership provided to tell the people what
the options were. People will recall that the Gwich'in left, the Sahtu left and that was the end of the Dene Nation.
The Gwich'in have gone on to settle their regional claim and so have the Sahtu. The Dogrib are now proceeding with that. The original dream of the Dene Nation was that the entire Dene up and down the valley would work towards one government for themselves, Metis and non-aboriginal people. That is the vision that many of us had when we originally came to support and believe in the Dene Nation. The Deh Cho says that for whatever reason, they elect to separate themselves from the other Dene from up and down the valley. They want their own separate territory. We can't rewrite history. The Dene wanted one government for themselves and they still believe if they put a proposal in front of the Deh Cho people, in front of the Treaty 8 people and give them two options: one, small regional governments; or, one single government for all Dene, Metis and non-aboriginal people, they will go for the one-government system. This is what has been driving me for half of my life. So it is a political rift. I can't, in all honesty, go to the Deh Cho and say I am going to support you blindly with whatever you want. I can't do that.
I don't think it is realistic to say if the Deh Cho people want their own separate territory, let them divide. We have to find a way to meet the things they want in a larger territory. I would suggest the Deh Cho may find that they are not the only people who have principles that they believe in. They will find that the original members of the Dene Nation would strongly support almost all of the principles that are contained in their proposal. They have to make an effort to meet with the Gwich'in, the Sahtu, the Dogrib, Treaty 8, and Members of the non-aboriginal public to say here are the things we believe in, let's all work on it together. That is what started in the first constitutional conference. I have no qualms about saying the things that I don't think are going to jibe. I also have a tremendous amount of optimism about the Deh Cho meeting its aspirations. We will just have to take a different approach. It is through discussions that we are going to do it. In one meeting to discuss self-government, we were kicked out of the room. The next time we were allowed to stay, but for only part of it. We are still insisting we want to keep working. We are trying to make a positive effort. Thank you.