The sunset clause reflected the disagreement within the 13th Assembly over the allocation of seats for the 14th Assembly and it was stated as intended for only the 14th Assembly. Governance issues were raised as major concerns to be dealt with before the 14th Assembly was dissolved.
In this light, it is important to review the progress that has been made in these areas since 1999:
- • On January 7, 2000 the Dogrib Agreement-in-Principle was signed by representatives of the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council, the Government of Canada and the GNWT. This is a comprehensive land claim and self-government agreement. Negotiations are currently proceeding towards a final agreement.
- • The Akaitcho First Nations and the GNWT signed the Akaitcho Political Accord on June 2, 1999. This was followed on July 25, 2000 by the Akaitcho Treaty 8 Framework Agreement and on June 28, 2001 by the interim measures agreement. The signatories to the two latter agreements were the Akaitcho First Nations, the Government of Canada and the GNWT.
- • The Deh Cho Framework Agreement and Deh Cho Interim Measures Agreement were both signed by the Deh Cho First Nations, the Government of Canada and the GNWT on May 23, 2001.
- • The Salt River Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement was initialled by negotiators for the Salt River First Nation, the GNWT and the Government of Canada on November 15, 2001. It was ratified by the Salt River First Nation in December, 2001 and is to be signed on June 21st of this year.
- • A political accord was signed between the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Government of Canada and the GNWT on October 2, 1999.
- • An agreement-in-principle on self-government in the Beaufort-Delta region has been initialled by negotiators for the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the GNWT and the Government of Canada. Signature of the agreement-in-principle is expected to follow the conclusion of a review of it by the federal government.
- • Negotiations are continuing with the South Slave Metis Tribal Council and the federal government on land and resources. Self-government negotiations are to begin when the land and resources negotiations are concluded. The GNWT signed a bilateral political accord with the South Slave Metis Tribal Council on November 23, 2001.
- • Self-government negotiations are continuing with the Deline First Nation Government, the GNWT and the Government of Canada.
An Intergovernmental Forum has been established by the Aboriginal Summit, the GNWT and the Government of Canada to deal with matters like economic development, capacity building and devolution. Through the forum, a Memorandum of Intent on Devolution and Resource Revenue-Sharing was signed on May 22, 2001 by the Aboriginal Summit, the Government of Canada and the GNWT.
The above list of agreements and processes, involving federal and aboriginal parties as well as the GNWT, is impressive. In the committee's view, it indicates the good faith in which these matters are being dealt with.