Yellowknife (Oct 06/06) - Jack Van Camp, two term land and water board member, says the premier is caving in to the federal government meddling in territorial affairs.

This after his nomination to a third term as a board member of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board appears to have been shelved.

"There's two stories here," said Van Camp from Mackenzie River Basin Board headquarters in Fort Smith, Monday. "First (Indian and Northern Affairs) is meddling and manipulating by trying to reject legitimate nominees and the second story is the roll over the GNWT is doing."

Van Camp said he was informed by Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger that he was the GNWT nomination - filed six months ago - for the unsettled land claims panel of the four panel board.

The board is currently comprised of four members from each of the land claims - Sahtu, Gwich'in, Tlicho - and four represent the unsettled claim regions. The GNWT is responsible for nominating one person for each of the panels.

Miltenberger confirmed that Van Camp was the GNWT nomination and called the current situation an example of unclear federal policy, evoking DIAND's controversial decision to name Todd Burlingame chair in 2005.

"The board of the day nominated three people and the minister of the day ignored it and nominated Burlingame," said Miltenberger.

In an interview with Premier Joe Handley last week, he referred to Van Camp as the incumbent adding that Jim Prentice, minister of DIAND, has yet to make a choice.

"Assuming Van Camp is interested (in staying on the board), he'll put his name forward and we need to come up with some names too," said Handley. "I would like to give them at least three names and whether he'd choose Van Camp or see a change is really a decision of DIAND."

Van Camp called that "spin" an example of the GNWT "rolling over" to the federal government's demands. "My interpretation is (DIAND) didn't like the nomination they got, and everybody seems to be scared to call them on it," said Van Camp.

However, Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington, a former business partner with Van Camp, is not pulling any punches.

In a Sept. 20 press release, Bevington slammed Prentice for failing to appoint Van Camp.

"If the minister is unhappy with Mr. Van Camp then he should say so and explain why a person with such experience should not be part of this board," he said.

During a parliamentary break in Ottawa Monday, Bevington spoke further on the issue with Yellowknifer.

"The point is Handley is taking a retrograde stance if he's offering the minister a choice," said Bevington. "Under the act of parliament, it says the federal minister will appoint on the nomination of the territorial minister, I mean it's not a question of giving the minister a choice. If the federal minister rejects that choice, the procedure is he'll return to (the GNWT) with reasons and then the territorial government can make another nomination."

Bevington added the premier's handling of the affair would diminish the autonomy of the NWT.

"If that's what the government is doing - cabinet putting up several names for the job - they're abrogating some of their rights under this act," said Bevington. "I'm just asking the minister to make up his mind and follow procedure."