Dehcho First Nations' (DFN) self-government negotiations have been put on hold until after the federal election.

"Canada鈥檚 negotiators have told Dehcho First Nations they have to wait for a new mandate. They鈥檝e also indicated to DFN they will continue with their current directives for having negotiations only every six weeks for three days," a DFN press release states.

Negotiations have been ongoing for more than two decades and are nearly complete, according to DFN. Grand Chief Herb Norwegian said the new federal government should get serious about completing an agreement within a year.

鈥淐anada鈥檚 policy is slowing talks down to a snail's pace," he said. "A completed agreement-in-principle will signal to our members and the rest of the country that Canada is sincere about addressing Indigenous rights. Having just a few sessions a year doesn鈥檛 cut it. We want them to get serious about finishing our agreement."

Norwegian added that the Government of Canada needs to hurry up and agree to at least a full two-week session every month, rather than three days every six weeks.

He also noted the Tlicho negotiated for two weeks every month to complete their agreement and suggested that the next federal government change its policy.

DFN doesn鈥檛 expect to get back to the table until mid-summer, the news release reads. Once it's back, the first order of business for the DFN will be to finish its agreement and have Canada, the GNWT and DFN agree to an annual work plan.

"Canada also uses the work plan to trigger funding for the First Nation," the DFN news release explains. "The Dehcho negotiators will continue its internal work, holding community consultations and working to complete the Dehcho constitution. However, funding delays will mean it will be more difficult to get the internal work completed."