Leaders give thumbs up to government's rookie year
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jan 19/01) - The premier is not alone in his positive evaluation of his government's progress during its first year in office.
Kakfwi gave a glowing account of the government's accomplishments during its first year at a ceremony held at the legislative assembly's Great Hall Wednesday.
The speech rang with the same positive pitch of addresses the premier has delivered this year at chamber of commerce luncheons, oil and gas conferences, press club luncheons and at meetings with federal politicians and officials.
The accomplishment most appreciated by those outside of government was the unity the government has generated.
"I personally believe one of the greatest achievements of this government is to get the message out that we're all in this together," said Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce president John Ondrack.
"I was extremely pleased with the emphasis on social responsibility starting at home," Ondrack added.
Yellowknife Mayor Gord Van Tighem listed the government's aggressive promotion of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline and working with aboriginal groups to move self-government forward were the main achievements of government.
Bob Brooks, executive director of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, agreed the government has done a better job than previous legislatures in communicating with aboriginal leaders and business, and praised it for developing and following a strategy that resulted from that communication.
"They're trying to take advantage of the economic opportunities that are out there," said Brooks.
Frame Lake MLA Charles Dent, who chairs the oversight and accountability committee, composed of all regular MLAs, said the single greatest achievement of the government was fostering agreement among aboriginal summit members to negotiate resource revenue sharing.
"Without a formal process set up to talk about devolution and resource revenue sharing, I don't think you'd get the federal government's attention," Dent said. "It was absolutely essential that they saw there was a consensus among Northerners."
Dent said the government's drafting of human rights legislation was another notable achievement.
North Slave Metis Alliance President Clem Paul said the government had turned in a "solid and sound effort" to improve the lot of his people.
Paul said one of the differences between this government and previous ones is the inclusive approach to the legislative assembly.
"They're involving guys who aren't ministers, like Bill Braden and Steven Nitah and other MLAs," said Paul.
"The guys who don't have anything to cry about are working with the government to implement their strategies," said Paul.
Paul was referring to re-elected MLAs who served as cabinet ministers in the last government but did not regain executive council posts.
The group consists of Floyd Roland, Michael Miltenberger and Dent.
Not all roses
Dent noted the federal government has yet to respond in a meaningful way to cabinet's renewable resource development strategy.
"Given the fiscal climate, I think we're all hanging our hats on a more rapid response," Dent said.
Ondrack, who gave the lowest grade, said it will take more than a year to gauge whether the government's efforts are successful.
Brooks said the government has done little to bring predictability to the regulatory regime.
"When we designed a made in the North process they made it more cumbersome than the process that was there before," Brooks said.
The federal government shares at least as much responsibility for the Mackenzie Valley Act. Brooks said Joe Handley's Feb. 14 budget address will be as important a message as the one Kakfwi delivered Tuesday.
