Peel plan protesters rally across Yukon and N.W.T.

Protesters gathered across the Yukon and N.W.T. today to show their opposition to the Yukon government's land-use plan forthe Peel watershed.

Demonstrations were held in Mayo, Dawson City,HainesJunction andWhitehorse in the Yukon, andInuvik, Fort McPherson andAklavik in the Northwest Territories.

Bobbi-Jo Greenland, a member of theTetlitGwich'ininAklavik,says the Peel plan isn't good for her people.

"It's a big concern," she said. "We were hoping thatYTG(Yukon Territorial Government) would follow the recommendation plan but instead they went and did the complete opposite and we're not happy with that."

The government's plan for the area allows mining in 71 per cent of the region.

Earlier this week, the Nacho Nyak Dun and the Tr'ondek Hwech'infirst nations and two conservation groups filed a lawsuit against the Yukon government over the plan.

The groups say the government's land use plan for the Peel River watershed violates land claims signed with First Nations.