Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Aug 23/00) - The shape of public government after self government is implemented will be the focus of the territorial government's fourth planning session.

Inuvik will host the Sept. 4-8 caucus meeting.

The meeting will include all 19 members of the assembly.

"If there's going to be an overriding theme it will be self government and the overriding impacts these agreements will have on the GNWT," said caucus chairman Bill Braden.

"We have to determine what we're going to look like once these claims are implemented and self government really starts to take hold."

There are seven different self government agreements in the works. The agreements outline the transfer of governing responsibilities, and the federal funding that goes with those responsibilities, from the territorial government to aboriginal governments.

Braden said the discussion will "absolutely" include discussion of what effect self government will have on the size of public government.

The caucus meeting will be closed and include only MLAs and staff said Braden.

Prior to the meeting, the standing committee on accountability and oversight, composed of all regular MLAs, will be briefed on self government negotiations by the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs representatives and others.

The Yellowknife Great Slave MLA said discussion during the caucus meeting will be confined to strategic planning and identifying how the government will deal with the issues -- what government organizations will be advancing issues.

He said part of his role as chairman is to help MLAs avoid the "huge" temptation to debate the issues.