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KFN holds annual assembly

All things K'atlodeeche First Nation (KFN) were discussed at its annual assembly from Aug. 13 to Aug. 16.

Much of it was a review of things that happened over the last year.

Peter Groenen: CEO of K'atlodeeche First Nation gave his final report to an annual assembly of the band. NNSL file photo

However, there were also some newer issues discussed, especially in a report by Peter Groenen, the chief executive officer for KFN.

Noting that an election code was recently approved, Groenen said a project is underway to create a membership code.

There was a public meeting in the spring on the membership code and work will continue in the fall.

"This code will require a referendum for approval and we expect that will be done before the end of the fiscal year, so before March 31st," Groenen said.

The CEO noted the band's membership list is currently controlled by the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

With a membership code, KFN itself will decide who would be eligible to be a band member.

Youth centre underway

Groenen said a new youth centre is in the works, noting council is "pretty adamant" about it.

Last year, there was talk about a project to build an arena, and the original idea was a youth centre would be located there, he said. "That project is still on the table, but we still haven't accessed enough funding for it."

The current youth centre is small and falling apart, Groenen noted. "So we're moving ahead with replacement of that."

Funding for soup kitchen

KFN has received funding under the territorial government's anti-poverty program to set up a soup kitchen.

"We didn't receive all the funding we asked for, but we received about half, so we will be running a soup kitchen starting in the fall," said Groenen, noting it will run through the fall and winter.

It will offer lunches on the days opposite that of the Hay River Soup Kitchen, meaning Tuesday and Thursday at the Chief Lamalice Complex.

Mining symposium

In November, KFN will host a mining opportunity symposium.

"That is a direct result of the potential mining activity that's happened at Pine Point," Groenen said.

The CEO said the conference will identify opportunities at Pine Point for individual band members and KFN.

The conference will be open to the region, and participants are expected from Hay River and Fort Resolution.

CEO plans to retire

Groenen plans to retire as CEO in January, and he thanked the chief and council for allowing him to work for the people of KFN.

"It has been an honour and a pleasure working here," he said. "I find the work is very rewarding. We have lots of issues, but we work hard to try and solve them."

By the time he retires, Groenen will have been CEO for almost four years.

Financial update

Chief Roy Fabian told the assembly that KFN is in good financial shape.

"When I got elected in 2009, the band was broke," he told the assembly. "We were $20 million in the hole. We owed everybody money in this town. We owed the government money."

Fabian said it took a long time, but KFN cleaned up the debt.

"We've done lots of good work," he said. "The band has lots to be proud of."

Objections to Metis negotiation

As he has done in the past, Fabian objected to government negotiations with the Northwest Territory Metis Nation involving land on KFN traditional territory.

"Canada and the Metis Nation are negotiating for KFN's traditional land," he said. "They want to select land for their land claims here in our traditional territory. We're telling them no. There were no Metis people here when we signed the treaty in 1900."

Fabian argued that the Metis don't have any rights to the land.

"Only KFN has aboriginal title to our land," he said. "Nobody else can go there."

RCMP update

RCMP Sgt. Brandon Humbke of the Hay River Detachment addressed the assembly.

Humbke noted the detachment has established three key focuses on the Hay River Reserve in conjunction with KFN: substance abuse, community visibility of police, and violence, specifically domestic violence.

The sergeant compared reserve statistics from two one-year periods – July 2016 to June 2017, and July 2017 to June 2018.

Overall police investigations for the first year totalled 482, compared to 372 in the second year.

"So we saw a decrease of 110 investigations," said Humbke.

Assaults numbered 60 in the first one-year period and 58 in the second year.

Impaired driving investigations increased from 32 to 42, but Humbke said that may have been because of an increased focus by the RCMP.

As for investigations of disturbances and mischief in residences and businesses, more often than not involving alcohol, the RCMP had 189 in the first year and 128 in the second year.

Humbke also noted that the RCMP has increased the number of patrols on the reserve to about 70 a month.

No resolutions passed

Fabian noted that no resolutions were passed at the assembly, but a special band meeting may be held soon to discuss resolutions.