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IQALUIT - Nunavut News/North sat down with Bruce Rawson, chief federal representative for Nunavut devolution to find out why devolution is taking so long.

Nunavut News/North: What is your role as chief federal representative for Nunavut devolution?

Bruce Rawson, chief federal representative for Nunavut devolution, was in Iqaluit last week to meet with premier Eva Aariak and hold an informal introductory meeting with Nunavut Tunngavik staff.- Carolyn Sloan/NNSL photo

Bruce Rawson: It allows me, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to look at priorities, look at needs and aspirations and hold discussions with these very important stakeholders, including even our own department and their interests and skills and abilities. But, fundamentally, it's a very directed preparation.

N/N: What are the federal motivations for devolving responsibilities over public lands and resources to Nunavut?

BR: Well, it's a policy direction to devolve and I'm a piece of that puzzle because I will be holding conversations and discussions with all the parties - NTI, the Government of Nunavut, and the department, as well as other stakeholders to get us even more ready for devolution negotiation.

N/N: Based on your background, what are you bringing to this position?

BR: I have a lot of experience in government and I have enjoyed it I must say. You know, departments like Health and like Indian Affairs, Northern Development, and Fisheries and Oceans - these are a very good start, hopefully. And I've done work for the government after retiring for a lot of departments, including Indian Affairs, and aboriginal groups and mining groups. So hopefully that's given me enough preparation that I can make a start more quickly.

N/N: The GN and NTI have expressed that the devolution process is taking a long time, perhaps longer than they thought. Why has it taken so long to get to this point?

BR: I'm not even sure that I would agree that it's taken so long. It's very important and it has to be done well and I think what I would say is you've got a very enthusiastic, and I promise energetic, special representative.

N/N: According to Paul Mayer's report, he had mixed feelings as to whether Nunavut was ready for this process. He did mention that Nunavut has been building its economy, but how is this affected by the fact that mining is now on a downturn?

BR: Mining isn't on the downturn as much as on hold. And the economy, the future is bright for Nunavut. There is very substantial base started and obviously share values have dropped, and until they recover, it won't be as high and input and energy, but it will recover, and like I've said, Nunavut has a huge future in mining.

N/N: Do you have any concerns whether there will be enough qualified staff to fill new positions that will be created through the devolution process?

BR: It's absolutely worth discussing and we will. We will think about it and I will speak to the parties that are concerned and we'll see what they recommend and what direction will be taken. I hate to pre-judge, you know.

N/N: Will a devolution agreement be something that will change over time?

BR: Well, we have a protocol and that's a consensus document of the main parties and that's recent, September signed. At the time, premier Okalik and NTI and the Government of Canada, I think it was minister Strahl. And that's a big step. It really is. It's our first base and it's a course of direction sort of chart. After that, we have other steps, but that's a significant one and I wouldn't underrate that.

Looking back at other documents, not at this one, and I don't want to pre-judge this one, but at other agreements of this sort of huge nature like this, there are some flexibility and some are quite crisp. It just depends on what the parties think of the right answer and we're working for the right answers, all of us. I'm satisfied of that.

N/N: What kind of challenges and opportunities do you foresee in terms of this process?

BR: Oh, it's all opportunities and let me say that it's an opportunity I'm very proud to have been chosen to try to work with to bring on and bring ahead. So challenges, I look at them as always opportunities.

N/N: Any sense of when an actual federal negotiator would be appointed?

BR: There's no time limit and what we're in is a phase where we can hold discussions and look at priorities of all the parties. So in a sense, we're at work, if you know what I mean.

N/N: On this trip to Iqaluit, you met with the premier?

BR: I have and I was delighted to meet her the second occasion. For goodness sakes, I had my picture taken with the premier. I thought that was pretty remarkable.

(I also had) an excellent meeting with staff (at NTI). It's a real opportunity to get to know everybody. We were very happy with that meeting. There will come a time soon, hopefully, where all of them will be met with and we'll have good discussions.