Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Feb 22/02) - Poor education levels are hindering the economic development of the Inuvialuit, according to a new study on the economic provisions of their land claim agreement.

Consultants Lindsay Staples and Rosemary Wallbank spent the last three years evaluating the economic measures of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, signed in 1984.

According to a brochure that summarized the report findings, the Inuvialuit Settlement Region is performing poorly in high school graduation rates. In 1999, the high school graduation rate in the ISR was 23 per cent, lower than for Nunavut, rural NWT, the NWT as a whole, and Yellowknife.

"Education has a major impact in terms of economic development," explains Wallbank. "If the pool from which you're drawing doesn't have basic skills, the capacity isn't being developed and the economic measures won't achieve what they're supposed to achieve."

These and other findings will be presented to the Inuvialuit communities in public meetings this week. The Inuvialuit Final Agreement Implementation Coordinating Committee was in Inuvik Monday, Paulatuuq Tuesday, Holman Wednesday, Sachs Harbour today, Tuktoyaktuk Friday, and Aklavik Sunday.

The committee wants to collect feedback from Inuvialuit beneficiaries, which will go toward the creation of an action plan to address the issues raised by the report.

In the terms of the final agreement, the federal and territorial governments agreed to a number of economic measures to help the Inuvialuit achieve economic self-reliance, and develop a solid economic base.

The measures were to be reviewed by an independent consultant's study in January 2001. If the objectives of the economic measures had been reached by that point, the governments were to be absolved of their obligations to the Inuvialuit. But if the goals had not been met, then the economic measures would continue, with a review every five years.

"The objectives have not been met -- there's no questions about that among the parties," says Wallbank.

Although some of the economic measures have been implemented successfully, she says others were not because of a lack of a concerted, coordinated effort among the parties.