Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Devolution is the process of taking over responsibility for managing lands and resources. Devolution has been going on for more than 200 years, so it’s important to know the history.
Most of the devolution had Britain and then Canada taking over resources from Aboriginal peoples. It has been done subject to the Royal Proclamation of 1763, the Rupert’s Land Act in 1868, Treaty 8 in 1899, Treaty 11 in 1921, and into modern times.
Treaty 11 is seen by the Dene as a peace and friendship treaty with the Crown, but the treaty was spurred by the discovery of oil and gas in Norman Wells and the written version included extinguishment of Aboriginal rights to land and resources.
The process sped up after the treaties, when more people streamed into this land bringing disease, famine, hardships, residential schools and reserves. The Natural Resources Transfers Act in 1930 covering the western provinces is another example of devolution without any consultation with First Nations.
Assimilation of Aboriginal peoples in Canada was still a policy in 1969 when it was published by then Indian Affairs Minister Jean Chretien in the aptly named White Paper.
I’m proud to say that in the past 40 years the Aboriginal peoples of Canada and the North have organized and fought back in court in the Berger Inquiry, repatriation of the Constitution, land claims, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and so on. It is a fight to change the fundamental relationship between First Nations in Canada.
Where does the GNWT fit in? It delivers programs and services on behalf of Canada, but now the GNWT wants to take control of lands and resources. This government is unilaterally pushing for devolution to itself; this government has done an end run around the recommendations of the Bourque Commission, the Denendeh Government Proposal, the Western Constitutional Forum and the Constitutional Alliance. It is an approach that may alienate Aboriginal groups and spur more legal challenges. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
