SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Two prominent concerns were raised by about 40 residents at a public meeting Tuesday on the territorial government's devolution deal with the federal government - a perceived unwillingness on the part of the government to allow the public to have any real impact on the deal, and how the GNWT's resource revenue money will be spent after devolution comes into effect.
"I really don't like anyone shoving things down my throat and telling me that it's good for me, and I think that's what's happening with this devolution deal," Ndilo resident Gerry Cheezie told Yellowknifer after the meeting. "It's going to alter our lives completely forever and I'd like to have a say on it and they've taken that choice away from me. I'm really angry about it and nobody is listening."
Cheezie said he chose to attend the meeting because he saw it as his only opportunity to voice his concerns publicly about how the government is going about pushing devolution through.
He has specific concerns on how this deal will impact small communities in the territory, where life is difficult. From what he understands, there will be few benefits for those communities as a result of this deal.
When asked if he thought the extra money that will go to aboriginal governments may have an impact, Cheezie did not mince words.
"In my experience, throwing money at a problem doesn't always solve it," he said. "We've got to get beyond that. We've got to engage people more and this process is lacking."
Mike Bradshaw, president of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, disagreed, saying the information has been available for years for anyone who wants to read it.
He does not feel he was neglected at all throughout the negotiation process, he said.
Martin Goldney, the executive director of devolution negotiations, who acted as chief negotiator while the territory was hashing out the deal with Ottawa, represented the GNWT at the public meeting.
"I'm sorry people feel they weren't involved," Goldney told the crowd, adding confidentiality requirements throughout negotiations did not allow some information to be made public.
However, the devolution agreement in principle has been available for about three years and is quite similar to the final agreement, he said.
It remains unclear how the territory's share of resource revenue will be spent after devolution.
These are decisions that will be made by the legislative assembly, said Goldney when asked.
Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger has previously stated in the legislative assembly that he would like all new income to be spent on infrastructure - an idea that received a tepid response on Tuesday.
"I would hope we have a legislative assembly that puts people before roads," said resident Tasha Stephenson.
The idea of putting money aside for future generations was raised multiple times throughout a question-and-answer session during the public meeting at the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre.
There is only one chance to sell non-renewable resources, said Stephenson.
"The money we get back for that needs to last for the long-term future because future generations are not going to have the option of selling those resources," she said. "Theoretically, they will have the option of drawing on the heritage fund that came from those resources. To date, the GNWT has put one quarter of one million dollars in the heritage fund. That's not going to last our grandchildren very long."
