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Signed, sealed, delivered Devolution is a done deal
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 27, 2013
INUVIK
With a flourish of a pen, the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement was finalized.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt, left, and NWT Premier Bob McLeod shake hands after signing the NWT devolution agreement Tuesday night as Inuvialuit Regional Corporation chair Nellie Cournoyea celebrates. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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Premier Bob McLeod and federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt were among the lead signatories of the agreement during an evening ceremony at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex on June 25. They were joined by representatives of aboriginal groups across the NWT, notably Nellie Cournoyea, chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), and Robert Alexie, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council.
The document was signed on a polar bear hide that had been used during the signing of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement in 1984, Cournoyea said. It was an auspicious way to mark a historic occasion that attracted approximately 200 people to the recreation complex.
Alexie was among the first to speak, saying the NWT "had nothing to fear from devolution."
He stressed this devolution deal is part of an ongoing process that had seen other powers delegated from the federal government to the territories, notably education and health.
"It's been done before," he said.
The Inuvialuit were among the first aboriginal groups in the NWT to endorse the process, Cournoyea added.
"The Inuvialuit have been involved in devolution negotiations for many years," she said. "We were one of the first institutions to support the devolution process. Today is a significant milestone, but we know there is still much work to be done."
During his remarks at the ceremony, the premier spoke of how the 21st Century would "belong to the North," with the devolution agreement marking an important step.
After the ceremony, which included performances of Gwich'in jigging and Inuvialuit drum dancing, both Valcourt and McLeod spoke of how pleased they were to have the agreement signed.
"It's been a long time coming but I think that by the end of the day that everyone realized that was good for the NWT and the people of the NWT," McLeod said.
Inuvik was chosen as the site for the formal signing for its symbolic importance, he added, and as an acknowledgement of the support of the Inuvialuit. It was also a tip of the hat to former premier and Inuvik Mayor Floyd Roland, who was a major player in the process during his time in the legislature.
"All of our partners agreed to come here and it made a lot of sense to us," McLeod said.
Valcourt was visiting Inuvik for the first time and clearly seemed delighted to be part of the historic occasion.
"Coming here on such an historic day and on my first visit is a privilege indeed," he said. "This is important because it's about giving the people of the territories control over their resources, control over the way they want to do things for their land."
"What is remarkable is the way this happened. You have all of the aboriginal and First Nations communities really pulling together with the government of Canada and the government of the Northwest Territories. This is an example of the people really working together, and the residents of the Northwest Territories, I believe, are starting a grand journey to the future for all of us."
The agreement was finalized with the signing. It's due to be implemented on April 1, 2014.
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