ATNS - Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements project

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Dogrib Comprehensive Land Claim and Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle
Date:	7 January 2000
Sub Category:	Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) (Canada) \| Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement (Canada)
Place:	North Slave region
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State/Country:	Northwest Territories, Canada
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Subject Matter:	Compensation \| Cultural Heritage \| Economic Development \| Environmental Heritage \| Land Settlement \| Self Government
Summary Information:
The Dogrib Comprehensive Land Claim and Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle (AIP) was signed on the 7 January 2000 by representatives of the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the Government of Canada. The AIP brings the Dogrib people closer to achieving self-government and paves the way for the signing of a Final Agreement which is the subject of ongoing negotiations. Approximately 3,000 Dogrib live in four communities in the claim area within the North Slave region of the Northwest Territories (NWT). The Dogrib Treaty 11 Council is the fourth Aboriginal group in the NWT to commence land claim negotiations with the federal government, the others being the Inuvialuit (1984), the Gwich'in (1992) and the Sahtu Dene and Metis (1994). The AIP provides that nothing in the final Dogrib Agreement is to be construed as affecting, recognising or providing any rights for any Aboriginal peoples other than the Dogrib. The Dogrib people decided to use the word 'Tlicho' which means Dogrib in their language and the final agreement which was initialled by the Chief Negotiators in March 2003 is called the Tlicho Land Claims and Self-Government Agreement.
Detailed Information:
In August 1995 the Canadian Government released a policy that allowed self-government arrangements to be negotiated as part of a comprehensive land claims agreement. In August 1996 the Dogrib Framework Agreement was signed outlining the process, subject matters, scope and parameters for negotiation of the AIP and of a final agreement. Until the final agreement is signed, two interim agreements are in place: The Interim Land Withdrawal Agreement which prevents new mining rights being granted in an area of 13,000 square kilometres of land surrounding the four Dogrib communities; and The Interim Measures Agreement which provides the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council with representation in the government processes which regulate land and water uses in their traditional territory. Prior to signing of the final agreement the boundary lines of the settlement area will be negotiated between the Dogrib people and a number of other First Nation people. The final Dogrib agreement provides for the following: Dogrib primary use area. The Dogrib share the use of their settlement area with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Therefore the Dogrib will exercise exclusive or primary rights in certain parts of the settlement area only. Governance. The Dogrib Treaty 11 Council and other governing bodies will cease to exist and will be succeeded by the Dogrib First Nation Government (DFNG) with its own Constitution. The DFNG will have a wide range of law-making powers on Dogrib lands and over Dogrib Citizens off Dogrib lands, including the power of taxation in relation to Dogrib lands. Dogrib lands. The DFNG would own a block of approximately 39,000 square kilometres of land, including the subsurface resources, adjacent to or surrounding the four Dogrib communities. There would be a public right of access to Dogrib lands with the right to harvest wildlife. Public Government in a Dogrib Community. Each of the four communities will have a community government which will have the power to enact laws of a municipal nature. Capital Payments. The DFNG will receive $90 million (1997 Canadian dollars) over a period of years. They will also receive a share of resource royalties received by the government annually from the Mackenzie Valley. Other provisions. The Agreement will provide for: land and water regulation and environmental assessment; consultation and negotiation with the DFNG in relation to mining activities; wildlife management including the right to harvest wildlife; harvesting of plant life; national parks and protected areas; heritage resources; and water rights.