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Canadian Rural Partnership
Rural Team Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories Synthesis of Consultation Results 2002
Executive Summary
Overview
The purpose of the Rural Dialogue is to obtain the views of rural citizens on the priorities and challenges they face regarding community development issues. The Rural Dialogue is also meant to provide rural Canadians with an opportunity to influence the programs, services and institutions that impact on their lives and on their communities. Numerous consultations have been completed in recent years in the Northwest Territories (NWT) on rural issues, and it was decided to use existing information to avoid duplication, consultation fatigue, and to reduce cost.
The Genesis Group Ltd., a Yellowknife-based human resource and education consulting company, was contracted to research, analyze and summarize 13 NWT educational, economic, social, cultural and environmental documents. Each document contained information that had been obtained through various consultative processes. The summaries contain common information and are further summarized under the following headings:
Documents Summarized
- Towards Literacy: A Strategy Framework ? 2001-2005
Education, Culture and Employment, GNWT, 2000
- Agenda for the New North: Achieving our Potential in the 21st Century, Office of the Cabinet Secretary, GNWT, 1999
- Common Ground: NWT Economic Strategy 2000, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, GNWT, 2000
- De Beers Snap Lake Diamond Project (Section 5: Socio Economic Impact Assessment), De Beers Canada Inc., 2002
- The Changing Face of Community Development in the North: From the Power Paradigm to the Spirit Paradigm, Inukshuk Management Consultants, 1999
- Community Priorities: Establishing the Framework/NWT Association of Municipalities Workshop Report, Canadian Rural Partnership Team NWT, 2000
- NWT Voluntary Sector Development, Lutra Associates Ltd., 2001
- Report on NWT Child Welfare Services, Child Welfare League of Canada, 2000
- Maximizing Northern Employment, Education, Culture and Employment, GNWT, 2001
- NWT Labour Force Development Plan…A Workable Approach, Education, Culture and Employment, GNWT, 2002
- Aboriginal Communities and Non-renewable Resource Development, National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 2001
- Social Agenda Conference Report, Department of Health and Social Services, 2001
- NWT Health Status Report 1999, Department of Health and Social Services, 2000
Common Themes
Although the subject of each document was different, common strengths, challenges and recommendations were identified.
1. Strengths
- Aboriginal communities have a profound social, cultural and spiritual attachment to the land.
- Aboriginal people see their traditional culture, languages and way of life as unique and valuable.
- The Northwest Territories government is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal groups, industry and other governments and business.
- The cultural identity of Aboriginal people is closely connected to the land.
Since 1998 a number of positive developments have occurred which have mediated some of the challenges that were identified by rural citizens. These developments include:
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Many more jobs have been created.
- Partnerships around training and employment have been created between industry and government.
- New industries have been formed (eg. diamond polishing and service to diamond and oil and gas developments).
- Aboriginal partnerships in business ventures have been formed.
- Support for literacy programs at the community level has been enhanced.
- A Social Agenda has been developed.
- Numbers of apprentices have increased.
- Many more consultations have been conducted and many documents have been published.
2. Challenges and Constraints
Resource Revenue Sharing
- Revenue from resources extracted from the North does not remain here to help develop capacity and infrastructure or benefit northern citizens, the NWT government, First Nations or northern communities.
Infrastructure
- Community infrastructure is in bad shape. Road conditions and the lack of roads altogether create isolation and health risks.
Education and Employment
- There is a lack of jobs in the small communities.
- There is a glaring mismatch between the skills and education levels of Northerners and the demands of the labour market.
- Unemployment is high, particularly among young people, and income levels are correspondingly low.
- NWT's current labour supply needs improvements in their education levels in order to take full advantage of the employment opportunities that may come available in the next decade.
- The value of formal education and training remains under-appreciated in many Aboriginal communities and among some Aboriginal leaders.
- A large proportion of the adult Aboriginal population lacks the basic literacy and education to compete effectively in the wage economy, even for entry-level positions
Social Development
- Capacity building is the most important challenge facing northern communities.
- There is inadequate funding for various social problems.
- Past approaches to community development have encouraged dependency and powerlessness.
- Addictions, health problems and rotational work are factors that may conspire to undermine community viability.
- There is a lack of recognition and respect for Aboriginal northerners, their culture and their language.
Other Challenges
- Northern involvement in decision-making must be brought closer to the people.
- The integrity of the ecosystem must be preserved.
Many of the constraints/challenges that were identified in the previous NWT Document Review (1998) are still seen as challenges by rural people in the consultations that have been conducted since then. These constraints/challenges include:
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Underdeveloped community infrastructure (roads)
- Northern involvement in determining solutions
- Preservation of the integrity of the ecosystem
- Equity in Aboriginal participation
- NWT economy controlled by outside sources
- Lack of sufficient education levels across the North
- Inadequate social programs
3. Recommendations
Resource Revenue Sharing
- Reach consensus among northern governments to allow us to share the revenues and the responsibility for decision-making that comes with shared control of northern resources.
- Secure a fair share of the benefits from resource development for Northerners, such as revenues and employment and business opportunities.
Infrastructure
- Government and industry must work together to provide more direct investment in trades training and infrastructure.
- Upgrade the structural capacity of existing highways and improve surfacing.
Education and Employment
- Expand delivery of adult literacy and basic education programs to provide access in all communities.
- Ensure that adults who complete adult literacy and basic education programs have the skills, knowledge and attitudes for post-secondary education or the workforce.
- Ensure that Northerners have the skills, opportunities and support necessary to take advantage of the jobs created.
- Provide quality education and training to allow residents to make productive choices in lifestyle, jobs and place of residence.
- Develop a database of job skills and business potential and make it readily accessible among regions.
- Develop a long-range NWT labour force plan, linked to economic opportunities.
- Develop a program to encourage and facilitate inter-regional mobility, linking skills to job opportunities.
Social Development
- Develop a Social Agenda that would promote greater integration between the economic, social and political development sectors.
- Develop a comprehensive approach to treating and resolving addiction problems in the NWT, emphasizing education and prevention and including a family support component.
- Build social capacity and stability gradually within the community, as residents will have the skills to assume jobs and responsibilities that are required to make their communities sustainable in the long run.
- Communities must develop themselves from within, not be developed from the outside.
Other Recommendations
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Negotiate agreements that will result in Aboriginal people taking control over their own social, cultural and political destiny and having greater self-determination.
- Ensure that development takes place in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner.
- Clearly define consultation requirements ? with whom and how extensive, and how results will be used prior to conducting consultations with citizens.
Conclusion
This summary of consultation results provides insight into the priorities and recommendations of NWT citizens since the separation of the NWT and Nunavut. Genesis Group essentially has summarized the results of 13 consultative processes to efficiently identify these results for the use of governments, citizens and other interested parties. The report also identifies progress made in recent years and points towards further progress in key areas. It is hoped that through the Canadian Rural Partnership Team NWT and the support of its many territorial and federal affiliates, these priorities will be carried forward to decision-makers for the continued progress of the social and economic well-being of the territory and its citizens.
This executive summary was prepared by Genesis Group, and revised by Trudy Samuel, CRP Team NWT Advisor.
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Date Modified: 2003-01-24
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