SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Idle No More protesters held their signs high and gave impassioned speeches outside the legislative assembly Monday while inside Prime Minister Stephen Harper signed a devolution agreement.
Lawrence Nayally was among the Idle No More protestors March 11 who spoke out against the recent signing of the devolution agreement. NNSL photo |
Bobby Drygeese was among about 20 protesters who expressed their dissatisfaction over devolution and the lack of consultation on it from the territorial and federal governments.
"They should be waiting until everybody has signed, everybody has agreed, everybody is a strong nation altogether. Right now they're just doing their divide and conquer thing there," Drygeese said.
"It all comes down to lack of respect. You have to have respect for somebody to talk to them."
The Devolution Agreement-In-Principle has been signed by the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the NWT Metis Nation, the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated and recently, the Tlicho government. The Dehcho First Nation and the Akaitcho First Nation haven't yet consented.
Nonetheless, Harper visited the legislature to sign a consensus deal, which marks the end of negotiations and the release of the draft devolution agreement.
Devolution would give the NWT more province-like powers and control over land and resources.
The next step from here will be for the federal government to consult with aboriginal groups to fulfil its section 35 constitutional obligations and the GNWT to solicit feedback from residents across the territory.
There is no information yet on whether public opinion from these consultations could alter the deal.
Protester Lawrence Nayally said after the event that he is concerned about the number of Northerners who have changed their tune when it comes to devolution.
"It seems as if a lot of the people who were first opposing this devolution deal are now sitting alongside with the government," Nayally said. "We're kind of saying 'Well, what are you doing? What is your stance? How come at first you're saying protection of land and water and then you're giving all of your power and authority to the MLAs, to the premier, to the NWT?'"
Residents should look into the details of devolution as well as bills C-38, C-45 and C-47, and educate themselves on what the impacts could be, he said.
In Nayally's mind the governments have made this deal so they can easily open the doors to companies looking to tap into the territory's resources.
"(The governments) are not looking at the socio-economic impacts of a lot of these future projects and who knows what other things they have up their sleeves that their going to be throwing our way," Nayally said. "The more people remain silent, remain idle, the more things are going to be set in place for the betterment and benefit of industry."
Kiera Kolson echoed the comments of her fellow protesters, adding that she hopes that local leaders will step up and do right by their constituents.
"A lot of the people in our government are indigenous from the small communities and we just hope that they can remember that and remember that they have accountability to these people when they go home," Kolson said.
"I'd like our leaders to take a step away from the political concept of it and remember who they are as parents and as community members and brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles."
Many politicians passed by the protesters Monday but their event went seemingly unnoticed. The prime minister did not address them.
-with files from Laura Busch
