Western MLAs unite for division talks
Leaders in the western territory are seeking a “best for the west” financing deal with Ottawa.
ANNETTE BOURGEOIS
Politicians in the western NWT have joined forces to make sure they’re not short-changed when the territories divide in 1999.
Inuvik MLA Floyd Roland chairs the Western Coalition, which was set up to get the “best for the west” during the division process.
“When the creation of the two territories is completed, we want the ability to move forward from there without having a real negative impact that would put us into a downspin for awhile,” Roland said.
According to the Nunavut Act, the GNWT must represent territorial interests both in the East and West until April, 1999. Nunavut’s interim commissioner, Jack Anawak, and NTI are focusing on getting the best deal for Nunavut, but western interests were not being specifically voiced.
“Publicly there was a lot of concern that the government of the Northwest Territories was not working very strongly on behalf of representing western interests,” Roland said. “Where was any western representative looking after just the western issues?”
Funded by GNWT
Roland said the issue was raised to cabinet ministers, who agreed to fund a western group through the legislative assembly budget.
The coalition isn’t an official negotiating body under the Nunavut Act and has no decision-making power, but Roland said the group represents the interests of residents in the western territory on division-related issues.
“We have a voice now and we can relay our concerns as they relate to the west,” Roland said.
Yellowknife South MLA Seamus Henry also sits on the coalition. Other members include Don Yamkowy and Garth Malakoe of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, Nellie Cournoyea and Gary Bohnet of the Aboriginal Summit and Dennis Bevington, representing western municipalities.
The Coalition has existed since last December, but members waited until last week to formally introduce themselves.
Working on formula financing deal
The group’s main objective will be to secure a formula-financing deal with the federal government that will allow the new western territory to maintain the existing level of government programs and services.
Roland said the coalition is also seeking a deal that is flexible.
“In the west, we’re still doing a lot of work in the area of constitutional development when it comes to the government structure and how it’s operated,” Roland said.
“We need to address that issue when it comes to formula financing so, as a western territory, when we go to develop a system of government, we have the ability to make the adjustments that are required. That’s why we’re pushing for flexibility.”
The coalition has retained the GNWT’s former director of fiscal policy, Jean Guertin, to help with financing discussions with the federal officials.
Finance deal by April 1, 1998?
The western MLAs believe financing arrangements for the western territory and Nunavut could be complete as early as April 1, 1998.
Roland said the coalition will work co-operatively with Nunavut’s interim commissioner and NTI, but added, “there will be times we’ll have to agree to disagree on things.”
The coalition is in the process of writing a report on the division of assets and liabilities between the new territories. The MLAs also expect to comment on the division plans of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the Workers’ Compensation Board.
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