Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Mar 25/02) - Premier Stephen Kakfwi promised substantial new support for community self-government preparations during a meeting of the Beaufort-Delta Interim Regional Council in Inuvik last week.

Kakfwi pledged his commitment to community self-government training, and he said he would create a new regional director's position to co-ordinate the superintendents of departmental offices and act as head of the government in this region.

The region could have a new regional director in place within months, but Kakfwi declined to estimate how much that position might cost the government.

"Self-government is about taking over increased responsibility for programs and services, and you can't really do it unless there's some co-ordinating function," Kakfwi said.

The regions each had a regional director in the past, but the position was eliminated in government cost-cutting measures in the mid-1990s.

Inuvialuit negotiator Vince Teddy said he was encouraged by what he heard Wednesday. "Those were the commitments we were looking for from the GNWT," Teddy said. "We're happy with what the premier has come forward with. It's going to make life a lot easier for us here in this office."

Inuvik Mayor Peter Clarkson similarly applauded the premier's announcement. "On the regional director position, it's a good positive step. Since they eliminated the previous regional director position, there is no co-ordinating body in the region, so each department acts somewhat independently. On providing funds to build capacity in the region I think that's a good thing, certainly the municipalities have been left out in the past."

While the premier didn't specifically address the issue of funding municipalities for self-government activities, he offered some indication that he would consider providing support.

Currently, the Gwich'in band councils and Inuvialuit community corporations are funded by Ottawa to ready themselves for self-government, but town and hamlet councils are considered a territorial responsibility. The GNWT has been criticized in the past for not providing any sizable contribution to help municipalities cover the costs of participating in workshops and meetings associated with self-government.

Kakfwi asked delegates to put the request for funding into a proposal for his review, saying there would be money to fund priority issues.