Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 16/00) - Northern aboriginal people have never recognized the current system of government as representing them, says Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus.

Because of that, Erasmus wants the way government is conducted in the North to be changed at all levels.

Erasmus said 2004 is when the next territorial elections will occur, and he's confident that by then most, if not all, outstanding land claims in the NWT will be settled.

"We're calling for change first of all because of our recognized constitutional rights," said Erasmus.

"The Government of Canada recognizes we have an inherent right -- the right to choose how we govern ourselves. And we need to express that right in a modern context with the people we're living with."

He said aboriginal people of the North, who make up about 50 per cent of the NWT's population, don't recognize the GNWT because the first government they turn to for representation has always been their First Nation chief and council.

"A foreign system was transplanted from Ottawa and applied here in 1967. Prior to that we were governed by Ottawa," said Erasmus.

"Transplanting control from Ottawa to Yellowknife in 1967 hasn't improved the system -- all that did was move Ottawa to Yellowknife. It's still a totally foreign system that doesn't take into account the systems of government, values, and characteristics that the Dene have."

He said revenue through transfer payments, on behalf of Northern residents, should first go to the communities, and then there should be a discussion about what should go to the territorial government.

"Devolution of oil and gas and mineral (revenue) needs to be talked about in the context of a new government framework," said Erasmus.

"People have to realize the status quo is not going to remain. If it does, we are a duplicate of the south and that's what we don't want."

He said the idea of "consensus government" is not being applied realistically here.

"They call it consensus government but many (aboriginal communities) don't participate. In the communities they have a chief and council and that's who represents them," said Erasmus.

"I'm a Ndilo resident. If I want something addressed I go to my chief and council. That's what we rely on."

He said in Yellowknife there are approximately 6,000 aboriginal residents, many of whom are band members from other communities. Erasmus added that if they have a problem they want addressed politically, they go to the Yellowknives Dene chiefs, not the mayor.

"That's one third of the Yellowknife population that's not involved at the municipal level," said Erasmus.

"We're not saying exclude non-native people. People need autonomy, but they will also need to get together for the good of the whole. How to do that is what needs to be dealt with."

Tom Eagle is the executive director of Yellowknife's Tree of Peace Friendship Centre. He has been a mentor in the aboriginal community for decades and involves himself as much as he can in all levels of government.

He agrees with Erasmus that the chief and band council governments must be given more recognition and support from federal and territorial governments. But, he says, the way to make change isn't to tear down the system but to educate aboriginal people on how the current system works.

"There has to be massive education training programs developed that will teach aboriginal people how the political process works. With increased aboriginal participation, something new will develop," said Eagle.

"The historic relationship between governments was at one level -- we were dealing at the federal level. Then, slowly, some of the areas of federal responsibility were devolved to territorial and municipal governments. The problem is, they never identified the needs of aboriginal people here."

For Erasmus, he said the sweeping changes he's calling for are achievable and desirable considering the changing political and economic landscape of the North.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to do this," said Erasmus.

"By 2004, the next territorial election, we should have a totally different framework in place. A new governing body at the territorial level should come into force."