Western premiers back devolution for Nunavut, NWT

Territories should own their resources, premiers say

By NUNATSIAQ NEWS

The premiers of Canada’s four western provinces and three territories told Prime Minister Paul Martin last week that Ottawa should transfer land and resource management powers to Nunavut and the Northwest Territories as soon as possible.

In an open letter issued last July 8, the premiers called on Martin to reach devolution agreements with the two territories “without delay.”

“Premiers agree the North has the potential to become economically self-sufficient. But this potential cannot be realized without a federal commitment to concluding an agreement for the transfer of authority over lands and resources from Canada,” the premiers said.

Nunavut is years behind Canada’s other two territories in reaching a devolution deal with Ottawa.

It was only last April, on the eve of the recent federal election campaign, that Andy Mitchell, the minister of Indian affairs and northern development, promised that his officials would start devolution talks with Nunavut within 30 days.

At the same time, Premier Paul Okalik pledged that Nunavut would get a devolution agreement before the next territorial election.

The Yukon territory, however, already has a devolution agreement, reached in October, 2001. Under it, the Yukon territorial government will take over functions performed until recently through DIAND’s northern affairs program, and a share of resource revenues.

In the NWT, devolution talks began several years ago, and the two parties signed a devolution framework agreement in March of this year.

Unlike Yukon and the 10 provinces, Nunavut and the NWT do not own or control non-renewable resources within Crown lands.

That means it’s the federal government that has the right to regulate and tax mining and oil and gas development in the two territories, on all lands except those lands owned by aboriginal groups through land claims agreements.

At last week’s gathering, western premiers also agreed on:

* Full territorial government control of any northern economic development funds created for the territories;
* The development of a “northern health strategy” for presentation to the Council of the Federation – this would include work on medical transportation costs and staff shortages;
* The recognition of rural and remote communities in any new long-term health-care agreement between Ottawa and the provinces and territories;
* New senators should be appointed from lists supplied by provincial and territorial governments, and not unilaterally appointed by the prime minister;
* Provincial and territorial governments should play a role in the negotiation of international treaties that affect their areas of jurisdiction.

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