Inuvik (Apr 25/03) - Leaders from three levels of government met in Inuvik last week, to discuss the timeline and which powers would be downloaded from federal and territorial governments to regional governments.

The Intergovernmental Forum is a group of leaders and stakeholders in the NWT who are in various phases of negotiations with government over land claims and self government.

In tandem to those various talks, the aboriginal summit is negotiating how federal and territorial powers will shift as self-government evolves.

The forum is unique to the NWT, with the intent to bring together three levels of government to discuss about the government structures and the evolution of new governance.

While negotiations have been on-going for almost two years now, they agreed last week, to halt negotiations until a framework agreement has been drafted.

The agreement will be a document to establish what is being negotiated and in what order.

Premier Stephen Kakfwi agreed to a very simple, "two or three page" framework agreement that should be completed, "within the next couple of weeks."

"It talks about the process; the whose participating; what the issues are; how we're going to deal with them," Kakfwi said.

"We hope to get together within the next two or three weeks."

Federal Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault defined the framework agreement as a work plan to devolution. He admits the topics are dry and hard to instill enthusiasm over, but very necessary.

"It's not very sexy to talk about capacity," Nault said. "With the framework agreement behind us ... we will now get into the substance."

Over the coming months, negotiators will discuss what revenue sharing and resource devolution, economic development will take place.

Nault said he will request a two-year mandate for devolution from cabinet.

"I'd like to see us get to devolution a lot quicker than it took us in the Yukon," Nault said, adding that the agreement should be complete in "not more than a couple years."

No new money coming

With the exception of a few new federally-funded initiatives, Nault said there will be no money coming to the NWT specifically to deal with infrastructure or social impacts of the new boom.

Nault said his predecessor, Jane Stewart, Minster of Human Resources Development Canada, will have new money for training oil and gas workers.

Also, Nault said that under the Strategic Infrastructure Initiative, there will be some money for roads.

The minister sees great things on the horizon for the territory.

A recent trip to Houston confirmed his belief that a Mackenzie Valley pipeline will be built soon.

He said oil and gas companies are excited about the prospect of the new line.

"Every single one of them believes that (the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline) will be built and it will go very soon, if the wishes of the people are to see that happen," Nault said.

Kakfwi would like to see the revenue flow North before the gas flows South.

"I've always held the view that (the pipeline) has to be in place and it can be in place," Kakfwi said.

"The Prime Minister said years ago, he's going to see devolution and revenue sharing done before he leaves office -- he's leaving office in February, so that's way before the pipeline starts"

"It's not a threat," he said."I call it a matter of business."