"Give the public a shake," suggested group member Bob Simpson said this week. "This is a fact. You have to deal with it.

"People see the legislative assembly as the government of the Northwest Territories," said Simpson, who represents Gwich'in and Inuvialuit interests. "Well, hold on folks, there are other governments out there. Nobody seemed to recognize that (during) the first round other than aboriginal people."

The comments came Tuesday night during an extended meeting aimed at ironing out the details of the information package that will be used during the second round of constitutional talks, slated to begin next month.

Discussion focused on a graphic designed by co-chair George Kurszewski that highlights the possible links between the parallel tracks of self-government and public government.

The constitution was seen as the most desirable way of bringing the two together.

"I think something like this really helps illustrate what could happen if there is no new constitution," said group member and NWT cabinet member Charles Dent.

But Dent balked at Kurszewski's suggestion that the package should exclude the three models of government described in Partners, the document that formed the basis of last year's round of consultations.

Kurszewski said the new package should be based on the new perception of constitutional development illustrated by the graphic.

"I think we need to continue to present a range of options if you really want people to get involved in the dialogue," said Dent, reasoning the rough reception given the Partners document by non-aboriginals was in part due to the fact it focused on just one model.

Kurszewski later agreed. The new package will include five models of government -- the three from Partners, another based on an amended NWT Act and a fifth that provides for consultation, in the form of an annual assembly, between public and aboriginal government.

Because of concerns about details of the package, the Feb. 18 deadline has been set back two weeks to allow time for revision.

Members now have until Feb. 11 to submit detailed comments on the draft package. The Aboriginal Summit will review the reworked package March 3 and 4 and the group as a whole will review it the following two days.

After that, the team of consultants will incorporate the changes and send the documents off to be printed, a process that's expected to take three weeks, putting them in the public's hand in early April.

The Western Arctic will witness a far more sophisticated approach to constitutional development during the current round of consultations.

Last year's round of consultations was organized and largely administered by the group's part-time executive director, Fred Koe. The working group now has a full-time executive director, an office manager and a team of consultants to help get its message across.