Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Aug 26/05) - If aboriginal communities want to be self-sufficient, they must start with a sound economic foundation.

"We're not in a trapping economy anymore, we're in a cash economy," said Gwich'in Tribal Council president Fred Carmichael, addressing the crowd on day one of the 22nd Annual Gwich'in General Assembly.

Carmichael went on to say the Gwich'in Development Corporation was an "integral arm" of the tribal council.

"(The Gwich'in Development Corporation) is building an economic base to work with and we must support the GDC to build prosperous businesses."

Carmichael, who is also chair of the Aboriginal Pipeline Group which has a one-third stake in the pipeline construction, noted that encouraging development was the way forward for the Gwich'in. "I wish I could have something else to push for our economic base, but I don't," he said.

On hand to hear Carmichael and several other speakers at the assembly's first day of talks were delegates from around the Gwich'in Settlement Region, which includes Fort McPherson, Aklavik, Tsiighetchic and Inuvik.

Linking the importance of a strong economy with the formation of self-government, Carmichael explained the decision - made in conjunction with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation - to close the Beaufort-Delta Self-Government Office in Inuvik at the end of the month.

"The furniture alone cost $130,000 when there was no money for (self-government) workers in the communities," he said.

"Taking care of the administration from our own office will save money that can be used for work to be done at the community level."

It is expected this work will include the creation of individual community constitutions that will be incorporated into an eventual regional government structure.

Resource revenue sharing

Comparing the current state of the Aboriginal Summit to the local self-government office's creation of "more bureaucracy," Carmichael called for a streamlined approach for the summit, with respect to hammering out a resource revenue sharing agreement in the NWT to benefit all aboriginal people.

"I see a need to reorganize the Aboriginal Summit," he said. "I've watched the summit build up a bureaucracy that ate up a lot of funding."

Education

Chief Charlie Furlong of Aklavik suggested the council "should put more pressure on Canada," to live up to its treaty obligations in regards to education funding.

"We should not be supplementing the education of our people, that's Canada's obligation," he said.

Tom Williams, Chief Operating Officer for the council, responded by saying the council's mandate regarding the education of beneficiaries was considered a top priority, something agreed upon at the last assembly.

"If the Gwich'in Tribal Council is serious about education, we should be contributing to education," he said.

Western Arctic Liberal MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew was also on hand to address the assembly.

Speaking on the topic of Gwich'in Land Claim implementation negotiations, Blondin-Andrew said she was "definitely prepared to have someone from our department be at the negotiations."

Last year, the Auditor General slammed the federal government for its less-than-stellar handling of, among other things, the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim.

Blondin-Andrew also assured the assembly that Ottawa is working towards the realization of the pipeline project.

Carmichael credited Blondin-Andrew's continued hard work in the nation's capital on initiatives such as the Aboriginal Skills to Employment Program and, more recently, her efforts in helping to secure $500 million to help offset the socio-economic impact of the pipeline on NWT communities.