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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Aboriginal leaders in the NWT greeted the election of Barack Obama as a major advance for minority political aspirations in North America.

Premier Floyd Roland was attending a conference of regional leaders in Fort Simpson when Obama was inaugurated in late January and recalled a sense of excitement that formed around the event.

U.S. President Barack Obama met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his visit to Canada on Feb. 19. - photo courtesy of the Prime Minister's office website

"Some of the comments I heard were that he gives hope that one day we in Canada can have a leader that is a native of Canada and born in Canada," Roland said.

"From my side, I'm interested in what direction he will give the U.S. administration, how they will follow up on the Arctic sovereignty statement that George Bush made as he left office."

Roland said he paid particular attention to Obama's statements about energy security issues.

"As a nation we would want to work with them of course and hope that a working relationship can be established. At the same time, we need to make sure we're doing our own work in our own back yard."

Richard Nerysoo, chair of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, a former premier and the first aboriginal person to serve as speaker of a legislative assembly in Canada, thinks Obama's election "marks a very significant change in terms of opportunities for all people.

"My hope is that opportunity presents itself to aboriginal people in Canada, that an aboriginal person could be prime minister. I have hope that major changes will happen."

Nellie Cournoyea, chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corp. and the first woman to serve as premier of the Northwest Territories (1991-95), said Obama was simply the best person for the most powerful political post in the world.

"I believe he was the best person, that is my personal opinion ... he had the right attitude and the right profile," Cournoyea said.

"A lot of people say this is the first Black American to be president, and that's wonderful, but more than that, he is a man of substance and a person of intellect. I believe he has a great vision; he's young and he's got the ability to bring people around him that will help him do the job that has to be done."

Despite the historical significance of Obama's rise to the White House, Northern leaders are cautious to endorse one of the U.S. president's top priorities, a pledge for more open government. On his first full day of office, Obama ordered the American government to release more documents under its Freedom of Information Act.

"Starting today, every agency and department should know that this administration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information, but those who seek to make it known," Obama said.

A more open and accountable government is an admirable goal, say Northern leaders, but even in the NWT - where communication is the keystone to consensus governance - it is something that is more easily promised than delivered.

"The proof will be in the pudding as to how much and to what level things can be opened up," said Roland, who was roundly criticized in the legislature for failing to share information on key government initiatives.

"We share all our budget information, we meet with aboriginal leadership to discuss issues of concern around program delivery, so I think we reach out a fair bit, and that openness only helps us build partnership with other areas in Canada."