SA国际影视传媒淚mpracticalSA国际影视传媒� land use regulations imposed by the GNWT threaten to derail the Nahanni Butte Dene Band's (NBDB) plans to forge a trapline along a proposed all-season mining road, the community's band manager says.

SA国际影视传媒淟ike our chief said, this is like colonialism all over again,SA国际影视传媒� said NBDB manager Mark Pocklington.

On Feb.1, the territorial government's department of justice issued a statement reminding the community there are SA国际影视传媒渃ertain prescribed limitations to the creation of traplines in the Mackenzie Valley.SA国际影视传媒�

In the release, the GNWT acknowledges the band's treaty rights to SA国际影视传媒渉arvest in their traditional territory,SA国际影视传媒� but says use of land in the Mackenzie Valley is still subject to the Mackenzie Valley Land Use Regulations. Specially, the government takes aim at the width of the planned trapline and the equipment that will be used in the process.

SA国际影视传媒�... If the NBDB creates a trapline wider than 1.5 m or uses equipment or material listed in sections 4 and 5 of the Regulations, then a land permit will be required,SA国际影视传媒� the letter states.

Regulations in Section 4 state SA国际影视传媒渘o person shall, without a ... permit, carry on any activity that involves ... the levelling, grading, clearing, cutting or snowploughing of a line, trail or right-of-way, other than a road or existing access trail to a building, that exceeds 1.5 m in width.SA国际影视传媒� Section 5 states permits are also required for any activity that uses a vehicle weighing 5 tonnes or more.

While Pocklington says he doesn't object to the government's reinforcement of regulations that are already in place, he takes exception to the way the enforcement is being carried out.

SA国际影视传媒淣o one's coming here and sitting down and talking to us about what makes practical sense,SA国际影视传媒� said Pocklington, adding that it feels like government officials are waiting to SA国际影视传媒渃atchSA国际影视传媒� band members doing something wrong.

SA国际影视传媒淲e were out there doing work in a field and it's like they sent the land police out to supervise us like we're some kind of criminals or something. That's what the community really objects to,SA国际影视传媒� said Pocklington.

In the same statement, the GNWT says the NBDB is SA国际影视传媒渇ree to create a trapline as long as the proposed route does not trigger the need for a land use permit ...SA国际影视传媒� But, Pocklington says permit wait times are too long and too unclear.

SA国际影视传媒淲ell how long does (a permit) take? They don't give you an answer, or they'll say SA国际影视传媒� within 60 to 90 days providing we get cooperation from all these different agencies SA国际影视传媒� like what is this?,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Pocklington said by the time it takes to get a permit processed, SA国际影视传媒渢he seasons' over.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淲e want to go out there and do something because the weather is ideal. If we wanted to do something, let's say, next week, it's impossible.SA国际影视传媒�

As for the trapline itself, Pocklington says limited heavy machinery will be needed and the width wouldn't exceed more than 1.7 metres at the most. But to clear snow in preparation for the project, snow cats and bulldozers SA国际影视传媒� all weighing over 5 tonnes SA国际影视传媒� are needed, meaning permits are, too.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey say 'no' it has to go through a process, the Mackenzie Valley (Land and Water Board). A process to clear snow? This is our land,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

In an email to News/North, GNWT lands department communications manager Toni Riley stated environmental factors are weighed by the board, but couldn't comment further as department officials were tied up in meetings.

The board is a regulatory authority that stems from the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, according to its website.

With lengthy wait times for land use permits, Pocklington says the regulations stand to disrupt the trapline project, setting back youth participation in the project.

SA国际影视传媒淚t involves a lot of kids. We have 25 youth here in the community and we want to put them to work on the land,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎nd we can't even have access ... because we just need to plow the snow.SA国际影视传媒�

Despite the setback, NDBD Chief Peter Marcellais said the community is still forging forward.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're still going to open up the trapline,SA国际影视传媒� Marcellais said.

First, youth will take part in another trail project aimed at teaching kids about fishing, then, he said, it's on to the trapline.

The trapline project, which Pocklington hopes to begin within the next few weeks, would run 80 kilometres from Nahanni Butte to Prairie Creek Road when complete.