Ottawa poised to give western Arctic province-like powers, resource royalties

According to a March 2 Canadian Press report, N.W.T Premier Joe Handley says his government is poised to sign a landmark agreement that will bring Canada’s western Arctic province-like powers and more control over millions in resource royalties from the mining and oil and gas industries.

Handley said negotiators have one more set of meetings scheduled for the end of March to reach an agreement in principle.

“If the negotiators aren’t able to come to an agreement, then there will have to be political intervention in the form of myself, (Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott) or the prime minister sitting down and saying negotiators can’t agree so here’s what’s going to be,” Handley said in press reports.

According to CP, diamond mines and energy development have given the Northwest Territories best-in-Canada growth rates — 79 percent between 1999 and 2004. But the only benefit the territorial government has seen has been from income taxes. All resource royalties currently go to Ottawa, “which leaves the territory on the hook for infrastructure development and ensuing social problems without being able to reap the revenues,” CP reported.