Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 07/00) - Emerging from his first meeting with counterparts from across Canada, Premier Stephen Kakfwi said the other provinces and territories can be valuable allies for the NWT.

"Now that we're in the room we're seen as colleagues and we're reassured the people will be there for us because there is a new sense of community among the provinces and territories," said Kakfwi over the telephone from Quebec City.

The main focus of the territorial government at this time is gaining control of the royalties mining companies currently pay to the federal government.

Kakfwi said he conveyed that message to a number of premiers during the meeting.

"What I discussed with different governments is the fact that in the NWT we want to do our own part to make this country a better place to live. And the way we can do that is by developing our own economy.

"We need the support of our colleagues to gain control of our development," said the premier.

Kakfwi pointed to last week's meeting of First Nations chiefs in Fort Liard and their desire to see natives benefit from the development an oil and gas pipeline up the Mackenzie Valley.

Kakfwi noted Alberta Premier Ralph Klein's desire to help the NWT realize its development potential. Kakfwi added that Klein has accepted an invitation to visit the North.

The meeting ended with premiers focusing on getting more health dollars from the federal government, which anticipates a budget surplus of $9.5 billion in 2000-2001 fiscal year.

"We basically agreed restoration of federal funding to health care is the single most important message we can convey to the government of Canada," said Kakfwi.

The Sahtu MLA said premiers are calling for Ottawa to increase its current contribution from about 13 per cent to half of the cost of provincial health care.