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NWTAboriginalgovernmentssigndealondevolutionmoneyPoliticsDevolution6TuesdayMarch42014ByMARIACHURCHDelineisjustoneweekawayfromdeterminingthefateof18yearsofnegotiationsthathavethecommunitypoisedtobecometherstintheNWTtoachieveselfgovernment.LastweekadvancepollingboothssetupinYellowknifeandDelinesawanestimated20percentofthecommunitymembersturnouttovote-agoodshowingaccordingtoDannyGaudetchiefne-gotiatorforDeline.IhaventheardanythingintermsofanyproblemsorissuesGaudettoldTheJour-nalaftertheadvancedpoll-ingclosedThursday.ThecommunityisvotingontheDelineFinalSelfGov-ernmentAgreementFSGAwhichwassignedbyallsidesofthenegotiationtablelastDecemberandnowhasonlytoberatiedbytheDelinecommunityincludingthosenolongerlivingthere.Inordertopass50percentplusonevoteinfavourisre-quiredfromthecommunity.Thosewhodonotshowuptovoteareconsideredanovote.Gaudetsaidhesbeencount-ingdownthedaystothenalvotesinceDecemberwhentheydeterminedthepollingdays.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheterritorialgovern-mentbecametherstinCanadianhistorytonalizearesourcerevenuesharingagreementwithAboriginalgovernmentsforroyaltiesgarneredfromdevelopmentonpubliclandsthroughdevolution.TheGNWTsigneditsintergovernmentalagree-mentsonrevenuesharingandlandresourcemanage-mentwiththeInuvialuitRe-gionalCorp.NWTMetisNationSahtuSecretariatInc.GwichinTribalCoun-cilandTlichoGovernmentlastweek.Whenresourcerevenuesarecollectedbythegovern-mentoftheNorthwestTer-ritoriesAboriginalgovern-mentpartnerswillreceiveadirectshareofthebenetsofresourcedevelopmentPre-mierBobMcLeodsaid.WearesettinganewstandardforcollaborationhereintheDelineclosinginonfinalselfgovernmentvoteChiefnegotiatorcautiouslyoptimisticvotewillpassNegotiatorpredictsapassingvoteAcknowledgingthathecantsayforsureGaudetsaidheisoptimisticthecom-munitywillvoteinfavourofselfgovernment.ItsinthehandsofthepeoplenowbutwevehadsomepositivefeedbacksoIthinkwearegoingtobeOKhesaid.Ithinkitsgoingtopass.Gaudetsaidmuchofhisre-assuranceisstemmingfromthecommunitysreactiontothemassivecommunicationcampaignlaunchedinJanuarytogetwordoutaboutthevotebothonlineandinperson.ThecampaignorganizerstravelledtoInuvikWrigleyTulitaFortSimpsonNormanWellsBehchokoWhatiYel-lowknifeFortProvidenceFortSmithHayRiverandEdmonton.Wetalkedtoalotofpeopleabouttheagreementaddressedanyquestionspeoplehadoranyconcernsandwehavenotheardonenegativeresponsetotheagreementitselfsogen-erallyitwentreallywellGaudetsaid.TheresultsofthevotewillbemadepublicontheeveningofWednesdayMar.12afterthenalvotingboothscloseat800p.m.andthenumbersarecrunched.Gaudetsaidheexpectstohearthenalwordbyaround1000p.m.Wellknowthatnight.Imexcitedthatwereintheprocessandwearegettingthisclosehesaid.Constitutionpasseswith99percentLastweektheDelinegov-ernmentpassedthecommu-nitysrstconstitutionare-quirementoftheselfgovern-mentagreementwith99percentinfavour.Theconstitutionlaysouttheprincipleslawsstruc-tureandaccountabilityofthefutureDelineGotineGovernment.ItalsospellsoutwhoisaDelinecitizenanddeterminestheofciallanguagesasEnglishandtheDelinieGotinedialect.Theconstitutionpassedwithseveralsmallamendmentssuchasfontadjustmentswillbemadepublicnextweek.ForlocationsandtimesofthepollsopenMar.10to12goonlinetohttpwww.ourdeline.caNorthwestTerritories.No-whereelseinCanadahaverevenuesfrompubliclandsbeenofferedtoAboriginalgovernmentsatthislevel.Theagreementsetsouttermsandconditionsforshar-ingresourcerevenuesfrompubliclands.TheGNWThascommittedupto25percentofitsresourcerevenueswithAboriginalpartiestothede-volutionagreement.ResourcerevenuesharingoffersthepromiseoffurtherscalcapacitytoAboriginalgovernmentsMcLeodsaid.Gonearethedayswhenre-sourcedevelopmentintheNWTofferedlittleoppor-tunitytoAboriginalpeople.Todayresourcedevelop-mentshouldmeanjobsandinvestmentopportunityforallresidentsandbusinessintheNWT.Thelandandresourcemanagementagreementes-tablishesanIntergovern-mentalCounciltofacilitatecoordinationandcoopera-tionbetweentheGNWTandAboriginalgovernmentsfol-lowingdevolution.TheIntergovernmentalCouncilisnotintendedtobeaforumfordiscussingconstitutionaldevelopmentorissuesMcLeodsaid.Itwillnotrestrictordimin-ishthelegislativeauthorityofthisAssemblyortheau-thorityofAboriginalgov-ernments.Itwillhowevergiveusfurtheropportunitytoworkconstructivelyto-gether.Itallowsustobuilduponthebestpracticesofthisgovernmentasweas-sumetheresponsibilityforthemanagementofpubliclandsandwaters.BoththeAkaitchoandDe-hchoFirstNationswhoarentpartytoeitheragreementcontinuetonegotiatewiththeGNWTondevolution.BothareexpectedtosigninthenearfutureandhaveuntilApr.12015todoso.PhotocourtesyofTaitCommunicationsPoliticsFirstNationsChiefnegotiatorDannyGaudetsayshefeelsoptomistictheDelineselfgovernmentvotewillpassonMar.12.