Canada PoliticsFederal government poised to cede powers to the Northwest Territories
In many ways, the Northwest Territories is like the Rodney Dangerfield of Canada — it gets very little respect.
That might change in the next couple of weeks.
Officials from NWT are in Ottawa this week to hammer-out an agreement which would cede federal control over land, resources and water to the territorial government. It's a historical move that the Globe and Mail characterizes as making the Northwest Territories into "a province in all but name."
"Much of the territorial government has arrived in Ottawa. Premier Bob McLeod, his cabinet, deputy ministers and aboriginal and business leaders begin two days of talks Wednesday with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and officials.
The people and government of the territory stand to benefit from hundreds of millions of dollars in new resource revenues under the agreement, which will see the territorial and not the federal government primarily responsible for approving resource developments."
The process of devolution — as it's called — happened in the Yukon in 2003 and has contributed to that jurisdiction's buoyant economy.
For the NWT, devolution means it can can take control over and earn revenues on its oil and gas reserves and growing number of mining projects. According to Northern News Services, the new powers will allow the territory to keep up to 50 per cent of resource revenues.
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"The Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes that resource development is a primary economic driver in the territory that generates jobs and business opportunities throughout the territory," Petra White, spokesperson for the NWT Office of Devolution, told Yahoo! Canada News in an email exchange.
"As a part of devolution, tens of millions in resource revenues will stay in the NWT each year. These new revenues can invested in public services, infrastructure and economic growth initiatives that will improve quality of life and create opportunities in all NWT communities."
White adds that the new agreement with Ottawa will include at least 24 acts and regulations governing public land, water and resources in the NWT that will come under the full purview of the territorial government.
"These are substantive pieces of legislation that will provide the [government of the NWT] with a suite of authorities to manage and regulate public land, rights in respect of water, oil and gas activity and mining activity," he said.
"This will include the authority to deliver related programs and services and to make changes to those programs to ensure they meet northern needs and reflect northern priorities."
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MLA Norman Yakeleya compared the devolution process to a parent/child relationship.
"The children rely on their parents to keep them safe, secure and well-fed and housed until a certain time in life that the parents just got to say, 'son or daughter, it's time to make it on your own,'" Yakeleya told News/North.
"It's the same thing with us in the Northwest Territories."
The deal is expected to be finalized in the next couple of weeks.
About the Northwest Territories:
Population: 43,485
Aboriginal population: Approx. 50 per cent of the population is Aboriginal
Land mass: 1,171,918 square kilometres
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