Organizers hope next week’s Dehcho Economic Development Summit, in Fort Simpson, can give the region a “unified voice” in resource management and beyond.
The summit, being staged by Indigenous leaders from various Dehcho communities, is billed as the first event of its kind.
Scheduled speakers include Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band, NWT Senator Margaret Dawn Anderson, Gladys Norwegian of the Jean Marie River Development Corporation, Carissa Browning of Eldorado Gold, and newly retired former NWT government Department of Infrastructure deputy minister Steve Loutitt.
“Ultimately, what we want to get out of this summit is a vision of what the communities want and what our vision is of the future, moving forward,” said Dennis Nelner, the Fort Simpson-based Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation’s economic development officer.
Nelner took on that position last July. He’s hoping the summit will help him understand how he can better serve the Dehcho in the role.
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“What better way to find out what the communities want than by gathering everybody together?” Nelner said.
The summit runs from March 24-27. A preliminary agenda is available on the event’s website.
“When it comes to resource management, I want us to all have a unified voice,” said Nelner.
“The lone wolf can’t take down the buffalo by himself. It takes the whole pack to do that. By working together, having each other’s back, we can accomplish a lot of things.”
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He said the region needs to better explore how to introduce private investment alongside the “constant chase” for government funding to get larger projects off the ground.
Other topics on the agenda include tourism, the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway, economic reconciliation and biomass.
“Fort Simpson and the smallest communities in the region, we all have the same problems,” Nelner said. “Let’s work together to fix them.”
