Principle of equality recognized but not yet backed by funding
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (May 23/01) - Aboriginal governments are to have equal standing in devolution negotiations, but almost two months into the fiscal year the federal government has provided no funding for aboriginal participation in the process.
A memorandum of intent signed Tuesday morning in Inuvik sets out the principles that will guide negotiation of the transfer of powers and resource revenue from Ottawa to the territorial and aboriginal governments.
At a press conference following the Tuesday morning intergovernmental forum, Premier Stephen Kakfwi recalled that in the mid-1970s the NWT's aboriginal leaders started fighting for the recognition of aboriginal governments.
"Today we've actually signed a document that sets out the principles that will govern how we treat the first nations governments of the Northwest Territories as partners," Kakfwi said.
Coping with the demands of land claim negotiations, new responsibilities for land management, delivery of social programs and day-to-day business, aboriginal groups are participating in the forum on a part-time basis.
They have miniscule financial and human resources compared to their "partners" n the negotiations.
Almost two months into the fiscal year, the aboriginal summit -- which represents aboriginal interests in the negotiations -- is surviving on interim funding from the territorial government.
Typically, the federal government pays for 70 per cent of the summit's expenses and
the territorial government the remainder.
Though he did not provide any details, DIAND minister Robert Nault said Ottawa will be addressing the issue in the future.
"It certainly is our commitment that aboriginal governments will be an equal partner at the table and resourced accordingly," Nault said Tuesday.
