Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Apr 23/99) - When self-government negotiators wrap up a week of meetings this week in Yellowknife, they may reach an agreement on whether area residents will be able to vote on the final package in a referendum.

"We're working on the ratification chapter," says GNWT negotiator Fred Talen.

"The GNWT has expressed an interest and desire that since the result will be a public institution that all residents have a say in whether to accept it or not."

If negotiators reach an agreement, Talen says how people would have a say would be explained during a tour this summer by self-government negotiators.

Foremost for Inuvialuit negotiator Vince Teddy is that the inherent right to self-government be put into practise.

"What we're negotiating really is the inherent right within the public system of government where there's no division of anyone at the community or regional level within the Beaufort Delta," says Teddy.

"The only ones that are concerned really want the present system. They don't want to change. They don't want to accept the affirmation of the inherent right within any type of system of government."

Though the words "inherent right to self-government" are not written specifically in the Constitution of Canada, as a way of avoiding the courts, the federal government has accepted that section 35 of the Constitution recognizes the principle.

And to Teddy, one way to use the inherent right is to lend it to what negotiators call the united model of community government.

This model would have a chief councillor and at-large members elected by all voters as well as a set number of Inuvialuit and Gwich'in councillors who are elected solely by aboriginals.

This model has come under attack in the past by some residents, including Mayor George Roach. Roach said if his wife were Gwich'in, it would be unfair for her to be able to vote for candidates that he is unable to.

Though in past months Roach has described such a model as "racist," this week he had only positive things to say about working together.

"The town is very interested in working closely with the negotiators to make something work that will benefit everyone in the community," he says.

Roach has previously said his job as mayor is to represent everyone in the community, but Beaufort Delta chief negotiator Bob Simpson counters, "He doesn't represent the inherent right."

On top of guaranteed seats in the proposed public government, Inuvialuit and Gwich'in will also maintain their own institutions such as the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation or the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

Both groups would also get a representative on the proposed 11-member regional council: one member from each of the eight Beaufort Delta communities, one Gwich'in member, one Inuvialuit member and one chair elected by all voters in the region, according to Simpson.