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NUNAVUT - Canada and the Government of Nunavut have set a protocol for devolution talks.

Chuck Strahl: "This protocol is all about... working with our partners in Nunavut to place decision-making in the hands of the people of the territory." - NNSL file photo

Chuck Strahl, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Canada, along with Premier Paul Okalik and Paul Kaludjak, president of the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., announced Sept. 5 they had signed a devolution negotiation protocol, beginning the long journey of the territorial government towards taking over its resource and land management.

Okalik said the territorial government has been vocal in wanting to assume province-like powers and has put more pressure on Canada during this legislative assembly.

"It has been more intensive during this term," said Okalik. "The first term was about getting our government in order."

In negotiating the protocol, the Government of Nunavut insisted the territory's internal waters and offshore oil and gas be included in the devolution discussions and Okalik was pleased they have been.

The Mayer Report, commissioned by the federal government and released in 2007, estimated Nunavut has 20 per cent of Canada's natural gas reserves and 10 per cent of its oil reserves.

Currently, Nunavut's resources are managed by the federal government, which receives the money generated from these resources. The Government of Nunavut subsists off transfer payments from the federal government.

Through devolution, the territory would get the revenue from its resources.

"This protocol is advancing our collective interests and it is an important step towards Nunavut's greater self-reliance," said Okalik in a press release.

"This protocol is all about... working with our partners in Nunavut to place decision-making in the hands of the people of the territory," said Strahl after the announcement.

Okalik described the agreement as all three parties - the federal and territorial governments and NTI - laying out the parameters of what will be discussed in the devolution negotiations. He said a timetable on negotiations won't be known until the parties get down to detailed discussion.

Okalik said potential resource revenues received by the GN as part of responsibility taken over from Ottawa would not cut into money currently reaped by Inuit beneficiaries.NTI gets 50 per cent of the first $2 million the Government of Canada receives in resource revenues each year and five per cent of the additional monies generated.

The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement states the devolution of powers from Canada to the territorial government "shall not abrogate or derogate from any rights of Inuit in the agreement."

"We will use this time to train as many Inuit as possible to assume those roles that will be coming to Nunavut in the future," said Okalik.