DEVOLUTION IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
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The transfer of province-like responsibilities to the northern governments has been a longstanding Government of Canada policy objective which is also shared by the territorial governments. Since the 1970s, the federal government has been transferring its decision-making powers to northern governments. This means greater local control and accountability by northerners for decisions central to the future of the territories.

Enabling the territories to become more self-sufficient and prosperous and to play a stronger role in the Canadian federation is central to the Government of Canada's vision for the North. Devolution is a key element for realizing these objectives.

In the past 30 years, the transfer of responsibilities to the Government of Northwest Territories has taken place for several programs and services including the delivery of health care, social services, education, administration of airports and forestry management.

Now, the Government of Canada is negotiating the transfer of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development's remaining provincial-type responsibilities in the NWT. These include the legislative powers, programs and responsibilities for land and resources associated with the department's Northern Affairs Program (NAP) with respect to:

• powers to develop, conserve, manage and regulate of surface and subsurface natural resources in the NWT for mining and minerals (including oil and gas) administration, water management, land management and environmental management;

 
• powers to control and administer public land with the right to use, sell or otherwise dispose of such land; and

 
• powers to levy and collect resource royalties and other revenues from natural resources.

The Government of the Northwest Territories, the Aboriginal Summit and the Government of Canada have each appointed a Chief Negotiator to work on devolution. They are negotiating a Framework Agreement which will set out the general approach for the next stage - the negotiating of a Devolution Transfer Agreement. The negotiators are attempting to complete a Framework Agreement no later than this fall.

DIAND - NAP officials in headquarters and the Devolution Office in the NWT region provide negotiating, technical and strategic assistance to the federal chief negotiator. Our regional Devolution office also coordinates regional input and engages other federal departments.

Regional participation in the devolution process is coordinated by James Lawrance, who leads the regional Devolution office located on the 9th floor of the Bellanca building.

• Memorandum of Intent on Devolution and Resource Revenue Sharing (HTML)
• NWT Lands and Resources Devolution Framework Agreement (PDF 65 Kb)
• Devolution Newsletter September-October 2003 (PDF 3.3 Mb)

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