Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Mar 29/02) - The leaders of the Delta walked away from a meeting here last week with a fresh perspective on self-government and a new commitment from the territorial government that will help them achieve the inherent right.

The Beaufort Delta Leaders Conference, held March 19-21 in Inuvik gave leaders a chance to brainstorm ideas and identify future needs to see a smooth transition towards self-government.

Eleven resolutions were passed, with most of them pertaining to building the foundation of the new government, a new constitution and a new future for the people of the Mackenzie Delta.

"Most of the resolutions reflect the path towards a more regional funding support, clearly identified towards resources to this capacity building," said Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Chairperson, Nellie Cournoyea.

"We see a great need to coordinate the operations of government as it exists now, to move towards self-government," she said.

Premier Stephen Kakfwi promised funds to create a new regional directors position to act as a go-between from the GNWT superintendents to the First Nations and back to the GNWT.

Chief Negotiator Bob Simpson was pleased with the topics that were covered and the attitude of the board.

"The leadership is definitely taking a more active role in some things that we need their attention on," he said.

He said the premier's promise to create the new position is something the negotiators have been after for a long time.

"It's a new thing for the GNWT, but I think they recognize the need for capacity building, training and a lot of transitional type things," he said.

The secretariat has been working with all the regional superintendents and will be taking over many of the departments when jurisdiction is shifted, but there is a need to train and phase-in the government, rather than have it happen over night.

"Basically, we need to be implementing the final agreement before the final agreement is signed," Simpson said.

The delegation passed a resolution to define the role of the new position along with resolutions focused on new daycare facilities, increased community policing, more accurate census numbers, a mental health worker for each community, fiscal financing, water quality, social impact of oil and gas activity, greater leadership involvement in programs and services and a review of wildlife officer funding. Ron Morrison, Superintendent for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development took questions regarding his department and a number of delegates were concerned that there was a lack of officers in smaller communities. Morrison said he thinks the formula for funding wildlife officers was based primarily on population.

Cournoyea asked that RWED review the policy.

"If it's based on population, we'd have a better chance of getting a wildlife officer in Frosty's (Pub) than we would in Paulatuuq," she joked.

The Robertson Report

Aklavik mayor Evelyn Storr questioned Minister of Energy and Hydro Secretariats Joe Handley on the status of the Robertson Report that was commissioned by the GNWT to analyze power production and distribution in the territory.

"We just don't know what is happening through that report," Storr said. "We don't want to see it sitting."

Handley answered that sections of the report will be complied into a new plan.

"We don't want to see it sitting there either; it has some broad implications to all communities," Handley said. "We're putting together a second document and that will be ready within a month."

Handley says the government will tour the new plan to the communities and he feels the most important thing in the document is the rate structure simplified and cheaper to administer.

"Right now, I'm leaning towards a single rate zone system, rather than the community rate zone," he said. "It's too complex, too expensive to administer; we spend too much money on lawyers and the PUB (Public Utilities Board)."