Georges Erasmus steps down as chief negotiator for Dehcho First Nations
67-year-old says he's retiring for personal and family reasons
The chief negotiator for the Dehcho First Nations in the N.W.T., has announced he's stepping down.
Georges Erasmus has led the region's land claim and self government negotiations for the last 12 years. The 67-year-old says he's retiring for personal and family reasons.
A press release from the First Nation says 2015 has been a "very challenging year" for the Dehcho negotiation process.
The Dehcho, whose traditional territory is centred in the southwest of the N.W.T., are asking for control of about 50,000 square kilometres of land in their land claim negotiations, including both surface and subsurface rights.
Talks between the First Nation and the territorial government have been stalled over the last few months, and were halted in July until after the federal election.
Erasmus told leaders this is an appropriate time to step aside while negotiations are sidelined.
Dehcho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian says Erasmus showed leadership and dedication over the years and will be hard to replace.
Erasmus is a former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, co-chair of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and president of the Dene Nation.
He says he wants to spend more time with his wife and family and wishes the Dehcho the best in its negotiations.