The Deh Cho Nation has signed a huge land deal in Fort Providence, North West Territories, that will set the stage for oil and gas development in the southern Mackenzie Valley, expanding into one of Canada’s most famous national parks. Although the Deh Cho threatened to block the $4 billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline last year, the current deal was struck because it allows the Deh Cho to become more self-sufficient, increase development, and also set up large networks of protected areas. The parties to the agreement claim that the Deh Cho can now benefit from the development that affects them, and that 70,000 square kilometers have been saved from mineral exploration.
