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INUVIK
With a flourish of a pen, the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement was signed.

Robert Alexie, the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, was one of the dignitaries signing off on the devolution agreement on June 25. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Premier Bob McLeod and federal Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada 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, including Nellie Cournoyea, chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC); Robert Alexie, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council; Garry Bailey, president of the Northwest Territory Metis Nation; Charles McNeely, Vice-President of the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated; and Chief Clifford Daniels of the Tlicho Government.

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 "has nothing to fear from devolution."

He said this devolution agreement is part of an ongoing process that has 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."

Garry Bailey, president of the NWT Metis Nation, said devolution means more jobs and more resource revenue dollars to go around. He said it's healthy for aboriginal groups to work together, like they did in the past with the Dene/Metis Agreement negotiating a full land claim. Now the different aboriginals groups are dealing with their individual land claims.

"I think we haven't been at the table together dealing with wildlife lands or waters, anything like that, and this is a commitment where we're all gong to get together again and start doing it again ... This time it will be working along with the GNWT as well. I think it's a positive step forward," said Bailey.

During McLeod's remarks at the ceremony, he 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.

Through devolution, there is $4 million in a one-time transition payment and up to $3 million to support aboriginal governments to participate in an intergovernmental council designed to co-ordinate land and resource management issues.

In addition to the present resource revenue sharing agreements with aboriginal groups, devolution will mean up to 25 per cent of the revenue paid to the GNWT will be shared by participating aboriginal governments. The Dehcho and Akaitcho have not yet signed the agreement.

Inuvik was chosen as the site for the formal signing for its symbolic importance, he added, and an acknowledgment 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 said he was pleased 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 is due to be implemented in April 2014.

- with files from Kassina Ryder

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