Inuvik (Feb 10/06) - The Gwich'in announcement last week that it will not participate in regional self-government, as laid out in the 2003 Agreement in Principle, does not mean the deal is dead in the water.

Rick Bennett, the new self-government negotiator for the Gwich'in, says the 2003 Agreement In Principle will not be the basis for Gwich'in participation in a regional self-government framework. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

However, getting the three levels of government - Inuvialuit, Gwich'in and non-aboriginal - back at the same table won't happen anytime soon, either.

"What we've got is a two or three year opportunity to get our deal done before the pipeline goes through," said Gwich'in self-government co-ordinator Rick Bennett of his group's new approach.

"In order to be fully prepared, a government has to be formed (in the Gwich'in Settlement Region) and one of the key issues is that government's taxation power."

Bennett says the AIP was "almost completely" focussed on program delivery in the context of a regional public government. Under the self-government AIP, the money for handling new program delivery responsibilities would be transfer payments from the GNWT via Ottawa.

"The AIP did not meet one of the key objectives for the Gwich'in, which was to have an aboriginal government be the main expression of the inherent right to aboriginal self-government," Bennett added.

Self-government negotiator for the Inuvialuit, Bob Simpson, says while the Inuvialuit still supports the AIP, its direction remains to be seen and is on the table for discussion at the next Inuvialuit Regional Corp. board meeting on Feb. 20.

"They may say put this thing on the shelf," he acknowledged.

Simpson was in agreement with Bennett's view that ultimately, any self-government arrangement should come with some revenue generating power.

"One power public government should have is the ability to raise its own revenue," said Simpson. "In the case of the AIP, we didn't negotiate that aspect."

Both Bennett and Simpson say the GNWT has in the past and continues to be hesitant to grant taxation powers to any new government, whether public or aboriginal.

Providing a municipal perspective, Inuvik Mayor Peter Clarkson says it's unfortunate things didn't work out.

"Anytime you can bring decisions closer to the area affected (by them), it's a good thing," he says. "I believe that everybody has the same objectives as laid out in the AIP at heart - good education, safe communities, creating economic opportunities and safeguarding the environment."

"From a regional perspective, it's too bad we haven't been able to work together."