Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 21/02) - Stephen Owen's grandfather was a police officer in B.C. during the Yukon gold rush. Now, Owen is in the thick of another economic boom in the North.

Stephen Owen: Puts First Nations self-determination at the top of the priority pile.

The Vancouver-Quadra Liberal MP was one of the 10 new people added to the Liberal cabinet last week, taking the resurrected portfolio of secretary of state of western diversification and Indian and Northern affairs.

"It's a huge job," Owen, a former B.C. ombudsman, said last Thursday. "It came out of the blue."

Owen's portfolio was nixed in 1993 because Prime Minister Jean Chretien wanted to deflate the previous Progressive Conservative government's bloated 40-member cabinet.

Eight years later, the Liberal cabinet stands at 39.

A relative newcomer to the minefield of federal-aboriginal affairs, Owen puts First Nations self-determination at the top of the priority pile.

"Economic diversification and treaty settlements need each other," said Owen. "Without a settlement we will not get what we need economically."

Owen said political and economic developments in the Northwest Territories set a template the rest of the country should follow.

"The NWT is breaking the surface as an instructive model of parallel paths," said Owen. "The rights and hopes of aboriginal goes step in step with economic development."

Western Arctic Liberal MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew calls Owen "an ally to the North."

"We can tackle issues together," said Blondin-Andrew, who remains secretary of state for youth.

Blondin-Andrew said resurrecting Owen's new portfolio was necessary.

"(DIAND) is such a huge portfolio," said Blondin-Andrew, who served as a opposition Indian affairs critic during her first term as MP from 1988 to 1993.

First Nations priority

The selection of Owen is proof of Chretien's promise to make First Nations issues a priority, said Thorem Hudyma, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office.

"Mr. Owen is very knowledgeable in the Indian affairs file," said Hudyma on Tuesday -- the day of the shuffle. "Obviously Mr. Owen is aware of the challenges (facing aboriginals) from his experience in British Columbia."

In his first term, Owen did not participate in any parliamentary sub-committees directly related to aboriginal affairs. He held posts on one justice and two health committees.

Owen said he has extensive experience outside of government.

He sat on a federally sponsored residential schools law committee, which published a report in 1999. Part of that consultation brought him to Yellowknife.

As head of legal aid services in British Columbia, he worked extensively with aboriginal centers.

He worked on aboriginal rights during his time as provincial ombudsman and in constitutional law as a provincial deputy attorney-general.

Owen last visited the NWT in August during the Western Liberal caucus meeting.

"I will be looking forward to my next trip up," said Owen. "I hope it will be soon."