by P.J. Harston
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 17/97) - The Reform Party's Indian Affairs Critic wants the proposed Western Arctic constitution shelved indefinitely.

His attitude has enraged territorial aboriginal affairs minister James Antoine (left), who calls the party's report on the state of the Western Arctic "insulting and arrogant."

MP John Duncan, who is from British Columbia, released the 27-page report Tuesday in Edmonton, calling into question the territorial government's plans for the West after division in 1999.

And he lays the blame for what he calls a misplaced focus and pre-occupation with constitutional proposals on the doorstep of Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Ron Irwin.

"There has been a strong absence of leadership from the federal minister responsible for the North in this administration, particularly with reference to political issues," said Duncan.

"The GNWT is a federal creation and the federal minister owes it to all Canadians to set the bounds of what is acceptable."

Duncan told the southern reporters that "there could not be a worse time to carry out a major redesign of government."

He pointed out that the Western Arctic is suffering from government initiative overload at a time when the focus of government should be on the economic and social welfare of the people.

"The constitutional proposals are receiving a hostile reception for good reason and should be shelved."

In his report, called Whither Bound? The Western NWT After Nunavut, Duncan calls the proposed government structure for the Western Arctic expensive and overly complex.

In his speech, Duncan said the proposed constitution -- unveiled by an 11-member working group in Yellowknife last October -- is out of tune with current public thinking.

"Everyone recognizes this except the aboriginal proponents and architects, but they have not received direction from the government of Canada that this deal is unacceptable," he said.

Duncan's ended his speech to southern reporters the same way he ends his report, with a conclusion that he believes is a cure-all for the Western Arctic's 25-year made-in-the-North constitutional quest.

"The best solution is to carry out the essential technical housekeeping changes to the current NWT Act, which are necessary to take into account the upcoming division," he said.

"The Western NWT can readily continue to operate under the amended NWT Act for the foreseeable future and focus on practical, cost-effective government."

The Territorial Aboriginal Affairs wasn't amused with Duncan's report or his speech.

He said they are "reflective of a real colonial attitude, which demonstrates that the Reform Party is guilty of the same regional insensitivity and indifference that they like to accuse the federal government of."

"What they're demonstrating is a real lack of understanding of what's really happening in the North," said Antoine.

He said the Reform Party may have a real interest in the North, and perhaps they're trying to demonstrate that interest before the next election.

But he added that the party has shown that interest in such a way that won't endear itself to the North.

"I find it insulting that the Reform Party would release the report down in Edmonton rather than talk to people in the North, who are going to be affected by the proposed changes," said Antoine.

"If they had some real interest with what's going on here, they would talk with some of us in the North to find out what's going on."

Antoine said he was never contacted by Duncan for his input or advice, but he's still willing to talk with the party if it is interested in real Northern dialogue.

In his speech, Duncan told reporters he chose Edmonton as a launch pad for his report because Edmonton is the city in southern Canada with the largest stake in North.