INUVIK
It appeared as if Yellowknife had moved north this week when Premier Bob McLeod and his cabinet arrived in Inuvik for a week of meetings.

Bob McLeod: Brought cabinet north Apr. 8 to meet with the Beaufort Delta Regional Council for a three-day session. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

On April 8, the cabinet met first with the Gwich'in Tribal Council (GTC) in a closed session. The GNWT cabinet then began a multi-day meeting with the Beaufort Delta Regional Council (BDRC), which represents the Inuvialuit.

McLeod explained that such meetings are held twice a year, on average. At one time, the tribal council and the regional council met in joint sessions with the government leaders, but that changed about 10 years ago when there was a request for separate meetings.

"We do have a government-to-government relationship with the Gwich'in now, and have formal meetings with them regularly," McLeod said.

The GNWT representatives and the GTC discussed how best to share resources and build capacities for projects, McLeod said.

"It was something that was negotiated between the Gwich'in and the GNWT to work together to help build capacity. In the past, we've seconded government employees to work with the Gwich'in and vice-versa, and the government of Canada has agreed to participate, as well. It's something we're very excited about.

"If it works well here, it can be used in other locations, as well."

The agreement will be focused mostly on human resources, McLeod said, particularly for hard-to-fill jobs, which is a perpetual problem in the North.

The sessions with the regional council have been going on for "20 or 25 years," McLeod said, ever since the Inuvialuit established a land claim and agreement.

One of the touchy subjects for McLeod was his government's effort to extend the term of the legislature by one year to avoid a logjam of elections next year.

That was clearly a sore point with him, for at least two reasons.

McLeod said he resented leading the only government in Canada that is unable to make that decision for itself.

He said seven other governments across Canada have either changed their election dates or are preparing to, mostly to avoid having to compete with the federal election.

The NWT, though, is the only remaining jurisdiction that has to petition the federal government for permission to make that move.

"It's like being a second-class citizen," McLeod said with a frown, adding that it's like having to ask a parent for permission.

That is even more rankling since the new devolution agreement came into effect on April 1, giving the GNWT more control over natural resources. The need to ask the federal government for permission to change the election date takes away from that, McLeod said.

He is also upset about what he called the "misinformation and misunderstanding" over the issue in the public and media. The GWNT, he said, didn't arbitrarily give themselves a "new term."

"Everybody thinks it's already a done deal and it's not. The motion was passed asking for myself to ask the federal government to provide us with the ability to change the date if we choose to do so.

"As I said, there's seven elections scheduled for October of 2015. Manitoba and Saskatchewan changed their dates, and Prince Edward Island is going to, as well."

McLeod said he has personally heard from only two constituents upset with the idea, although he is aware the motion is unpopular.

The fact that two senior MLAs, Michael Miltenberger and Jane Groenewegen, introduced the motion stirred a considerable amount of outrage. Both MLAs would qualify for their maximum pensions from the GNWT if the term was extended by the year requested.

McLeod was also asked about offshore drilling by Duane Smith of the regional council.

A clause in the devolution agreement opens a window for offshore drilling in the Beaufort Sea to be discussed within 60 days of the agreement coming into effect.

McLeod said the GNWT is continuing to discuss drilling with the federal government. The federal representatives want to include the Yukon government, as well, and possibly Nunavut, he said, and that's something the GNWT is resisting.

McLeod said the Yukon has always been represented by the federal government in those negotiations, and that's something he'd like to see continue.

Other issues, including land claims, were mentioned as pressing concerns by Nellie Cournoyea, the chairperson of the Beaufort Delta Regional Council.

Too many government and political leaders, she said, tend to view land claims as inconveniences that hold up moving plans and projects ahead, rather than vital factors to be considered.

The meetings were set to continue for another two days, wrapping up April 10.