Yellowknife (Mar 19/04) - The Beaufort-Delta Regional Council says it wants the authority over its own backyard.

"I know one of the issues is that this process is getting very complicated," said IRC Chair Nelly Cournoyea during last week's council meeting. "The goal is to determine how we manage and deliver programs and services at the community level."

Mayor Peter Clarkson speaks at the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council meeting. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

Cournoyea says that public involvement is key if effective changes are to be made.

"Communities can't sit back and think this is magically going to happen. We've got to dig for our deepest strengths."

One of the hurdles for self-government is formulating governing bodies to take over responsibilities currently held by the region's health and social services authority and its education council. This would eventually entail dissolving those entities.

But Cournoyea said not many volunteers have stepped up to the plate.

"There hasn't been a huge amount of response from people interested in being a part of forming a new Beaufort-Delta Health Board," she said.

Bob Simpson, Beaufort Delta self-government chief negotiator, pointing to the Dogrib's 10-year time-frame for formulating and implementing its self-government agreement, said the entire process for the Delta could take as long.

As things stand, Simpson said the working plan is to have a complete final agreement for the Beaufort Delta in two years. As for the implementation or costs involved, Simpson said that is unclear.

"It's going to be for the people to decide on that," he said. "And that's the purpose of these meetings."

Motions passed by the council at the recent gathering included asking the GNWT to examine, revise and implement policies that take into account cultural and palliative care needs of elders.

The council also asked the GNWT to change its policy in regard to fund allocations for initiatives that provide family assistance.

In addition, the council voted in favour of supporting the premier's position that the territories' name remain the same.

Regarding its own name, the council also voted to remove 'interim' from its title. In future, it will refer to itself as the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council.