Legislative Assembly briefs
Revenue-sharing agreement signed
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Monday, March 3, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Premier Bob McLeod announced the signing of a resource revenue-sharing agreement with aboriginal governments during a sitting of the legislative assembly on Thursday afternoon.
The agreement ensures that the GNWT will commit to sharing 25 per cent of revenues from natural resource projects with five aboriginal governments - the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Northwest Territory Metis Nation, Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, Gwich'in Tribal Council, and Tlicho Government.
A previous agreement between aboriginal governments determined that the 25 per cent contribution from the GNWT will be divided proportionally among each region by using a formula which factors in a combination of population size and cost of living.
Money is also available through a separate funding agreement where the GNWT and aboriginal governments will receive part of a one-time funding transfer. In order to receive a portion of that money, which is expected to total $15 million, aboriginal governments must settle land claims within one-year of devolution.
The signing of the agreement also provides for the creation of an intergovernmental council between aboriginal governments and the GNWT.
Although the council will have no regulatory power, McLeod said it would provide a forum for discussion.
Small communities need nurses
The government is failing the territory's smallest communities by not providing them with full-time nurses, according to several MLAs.
During a recent sitting of the legislative assembly, MLAs for the Sahtu, Nahendeh and Mackenzie Delta pointed out that nine of the territory's smallest communities, most of which are within their constituencies, do not currently have fully qualified nurses stationed in them year round.
"In theory, this government provides high-quality health care to all residents regardless of where they live," said Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche. "In reality, there's a two-tiered system."
"How can we sit here and still allow a community like Tsiigehtchic or Wrigley, Colville Lake not to have nurses while we enjoy them ourselves in our own communities?" added Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya.
According to Health Minister Glen Abernethy government policy states nurses can't be stationed in communities of fewer than 250 people or where there is not a RCMP detachment.
The majority of those communities depend on having nurses from a larger centre visit for several days out of the month.
ITI to regulate oil and gas
An announcement that the territory's oil and gas development will be regulated by a member of cabinet after devolution has a Yellowknife MLA concerned. As of April 1, David Ramsay, minister of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, will become the regulator for the development of the territory's of onshore oil and gas activities after devolution.
Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley said the appointment is a conflict of interest because the department is supposed to be promoting investment in industry, not environmental sustainability.
He argued that the government should continue to use the federally-appointed National Energy Board as its oil and gas regulator, as it is a public board.
"Why has this government chosen to switch from a public board model to a model that has no possibility for public participation in the decision-making process?" he said.
Premier Bob McLeod discounted Bromley's fears.
"Our territory probably takes most seriously its duty to consult. We consult and we consult and we consult. We will continue to do so," he said.
He added the newly consolidated territorial land and water board and the GNWT's new department of lands would be responsible for environmental assessments after devolution and the NEB will continue to be contracted to assist the department of ITI as it assumes its new responsibilities.
