Dehcho halt land claims talks until after federal election

Dehcho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian says they are stepping away from the negotiating table until after the federal election this fall.

"We are finding it very hard to move forward with this Conservative government," he said at the Dene National Assembly in Deline, N.W.T. "This Conservative government is not friendly at all."

The Dehcho, who are in talks over control of about 50,000 square kilometres of land in the southwestern N.W.T., called off talks earlier this year after receiving what they characterized as an ultimatum from the federal government.

Talks resumed in April.

Norwegian says he hopes a different party will be in power in the fall, something chiefs across the country echoed.

The Conservative government pledged, in 2007, to deliver "justice at last" for First Nations land claims. In 2011, the government created a tribunal to settle specific land claims.

But this spring the judge in charge said the government had failed to fill the positions of several judges, making it difficult for the tribunal to meet its commitments.