Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 21/02) - Premier Stephen Kafkwi came under fire last week for signing as a witness at the initialling of the Dogrib final agreement in Wha Ti Sept. 4.

Tu Nedhe MLA Steven Nitah questioned the premier about his ability to govern objectively.

"It gives me grave concern when the premier of a territory or province can just take off his premier's hat and go as individual 'Joe Blow' and witness such an agreement when the people he represents depend on him to be impartial," he said.

Kakfwi defended his signature on the document, saying he stood up to witness the initialling when asked to do so by federal negotiator Jean-Yves Assiniwi. The premier told reporters he had initially said he would not witness the agreement, but accepted to avoid making a scene when Assiniwi made a public request.

"I was asked to come forward as a private citizen and I witnessed it," he said.

Kakfwi also said the government will continue its support of the Dogrib agreement, despite competing claims to the disputed territory.

He said he thinks the different sides will be able to work out their differences.

"It's my expectation, based on all the other agreements that have been addressed in the NWT by aboriginal people, that there is a way to do it, it can be done and we expect no less in this situation."