After nearly three decades without a territorial park being established under the Sahtu Dene Metis Land Agreement, Norman Yakeleya is calling on the Government of the Northwest Territories to take action.

During negotiations of the agreement, which was ratified in 1993 and came into effect in 1994, Yakeleya was involved in establishing Chapter 17.3, which specifies that the federal and territorial governments create a park along the Canol Heritage Trail called the Doi TSA国际影视传媒檕h National Park.

The United States government used the area as part of the Second World War effort, however, when the conflict ended, piles of junk were left behind on the land.

Now, the former Dene national chief and former Sahtu MLA as well as frequent user of the Canol Trail is saying itSA国际影视传媒檚 long past time for the lingering mess to be cleaned up and for the GNWT to move forward with its commitment to establish the park.

He said the main obstacle remains the transfer of jurisdictional power from the federal to the territorial government.

SA国际影视传媒淭he transfer of lands is the issue and the stumbling block,SA国际影视传媒� Yakeleya said in a recent interview. SA国际影视传媒淲hat conditions will it take for the GNWT to say OK, letSA国际影视传媒檚 start the transfer of lands?

SA国际影视传媒淲e have to keep pressure on the federal government and say that weSA国际影视传媒檙e not taking back the land with the amount of garbage on there now. We want it the way it was before the military moved in there with lands and roads.SA国际影视传媒�

The waste includes 176 vehicles, 5,000 empty 45-gallon barrels, leftover fuel in fuel tanks, batteries, hazardous waste, asbestos, pipeline material and bridges no longer used, he said.

ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 also telephone wiring SA国际影视传媒渨here animals have been caught up and died a horrible death,SA国际影视传媒� Yakeleya said.

Matthew Gutsch, media spokesperson with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, referred all questions to the GNWT Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs.

However, one federal source told News North that the department is waiting for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to review a federal reclamation report before proceeding with land transfer arrangements.

SA国际影视传媒漈he holdup is that we want to transfer the land to the territorial government and there is a bit of a back and forth there,SA国际影视传媒� said the individual. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e reviewing a report that we have done on reclamation.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur expectation is (the GNWT) is going to come back with a couple of key issues that they think need to be resolved before the land gets transferred. Once the land is transferred, then the GNWT is obliged under the land claim to move towards creating a territorial park that would involve the Sahtu.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒 provided questions to ENR on multiple occasions over the last month. Responses were not provided as of publication deadline.

Drew Williams, spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, said the territorial government is cautious about taking ownership before a thorough cleanup of the area by the Government of Canada.

SA国际影视传媒淎n agreement remains in place between the GNWT and the federal government and there is an agreement for it to become an NWT park,SA国际影视传媒� Williams said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut we as the GNWT have been maintaining the line that the federal government has to clean it up to a certain level before we take ownership of it.SA国际影视传媒�

Park significance

Yakeleya said the park, when established, will contain tracts of untouched wilderness preserved for cultural interest by descendants of the Sahtu Mountain Dene. The site will also appeal to visitors wanting to enjoy recreational activity and history buffs who want to experience American and Canadian military outposts and vehicles, he added.

Most important is that it will be properly kept for future generations to enjoy, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be a park and (reflecting the idea of) the SA国际影视传媒楲and Before TimeSA国际影视传媒� where families can come and enjoy and be educated, and it would be operated by the Sahtu beneficiaries,SA国际影视传媒� said Yakeleya.

SA国际影视传媒淲e really have to work to give hope to a lot of our young people so that they can have the opportunity to operate, manage and run everything with that park. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the transfer of lands that is the stumbling block.SA国际影视传媒�

When completed, it would be the largest territorial park in the Northwest Territories, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be one of the most fun places to be, but weSA国际影视传媒檝e got to get over this hurdle of the transfer of lands from the last 29 years,SA国际影视传媒� he said.