Yellowknife (Feb 20/04) - In the wake of the recent Auditor General's report, Gwich'in Tribal Council President Fred Carmichael released a statement corroborating her assessment of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development's handling of the Gwich'in comprehensive land claim.

"Our negotiators have always raised the issue of lack of funding needed to effectively implement (the land claim) and this continues to hamper the Gwich'in people to achieve economic self-sufficiency and be able to control our own destiny," said Carmichael.

In her report, Fraser states that Ottawa has not gauged how well economic development programs are working within the land claim.

"When it comes to honouring the deal, DIAND held to the letter of the agreement rather than the spirit."

GTC Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams agrees.

"The whole idea is that the land claim ensures capacity is built to maintain Gwich'in self-sufficiency," said Williams. "Part of this is (the financial aspect) of maintaining programs and services. The claim shifted responsibility for these, but not the money."

As an example, Williams says that prior to the claim, Canadian Wildlife Service managed a host of wildlife studies for Environment Canada.

After the deal was signed, some of these CWS responsibilities were shifted to the Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board.

However, the money to fund them was not forthcoming, he said.

To keep these and other programs afloat, the council has had to dip into its revenue from the land claim it settled in 1992, said Williams.

Then the Gwich'in struck a deal with Ottawa to receive land and $141 million, the money to be granted over a period between 1992 and 2007.

Room for improvement

Speaking on behalf of DIAND, Andrea Nubigon, acting director of its implementation branch, acknowledged that there was room for improvement in the relationship between the two parties.

"We agree that spirit is important and what people have to recognize is it's a joint obligation of the groups to work together to improve the monitoring (of the claim)," Nubigon.

In regard to the funding inadequacies, Nubigon said that DIAND's funding of Gwich'in programs and services had risen to $2.9 million annually from the previous $2 million allocation.