Land claim loan forgiveness to be reinvested in N.W.T. communities, say Indigenous leaders

Northern Indigenous leaders are welcoming the federal budget decision to erase debt incurred from land claims and treaty negotiations with the Canadian government.

They say that instead of repaying the federal government, that money can now be reinvested in programs, wellness, governance and youth.

Chiefs from the Dehcho, Inuvialuit, Gwich'in, Sahtu, Tlicho and South Slave regions were in Detah on Tuesday to meet with Minister of Crown-Indigenous RelationsCarolyn Bennett.

The Liberal government earmarked $1.4-billionover seven years for loan forgiveness across Canada in the 2019 federal budget.

• Budget 2019: $1.4B in loans to be forgiven or reimbursed to Indigenous groups for treaty negotiations

Yellowknives Dene First Nation Chief Ernest Betsina said the decision is welcomed.

"This forgiveness grant will be provided to our future generations and provide more opportunities that can support First Nations," he said.

Betsina said past federal cutbacks under previous governmentsaffected core funding, negotiations, language planning and housing.

Loan system to negotiate land claims not 'successful'

In 2018, the federal government adopted a grant system to capturethe "actual costs of self-government," Bennett said.

The 2019 budget also sets aside $40 million over five years for First Nations to research and develop claims.

"Getting to self-government shouldn't be based on loans anymore. People spending 20 years and then $30-millionin debt to not quite get there, has just not been successful," she said.

Negotiation on a loan basis was a hard-sell for communities, she said.

"If people don't feel that things are fair then it's pretty hard for them to get their communities behind them to do the work," Bennettsaid.

'Long ways to go'

Tlicho Grand Chief George Mackenzie told Bennett self-government will improve the future for young Indigenous people.

"Us in the Aboriginal world have a long ways to go yet, but we will not get there if we don't have the federal support that we are seeking," he said.

As the federal election approaches, Mackenzie said people will be looking for a party "committed 101 per cent to make things happen."

"Our young people today, everywhere, are crying for help we lack resources we lack the funding," he said.

Other negotiations proceeding

Yellowknives Dene Chief Ernest Betsina announced that Akaitcho First Nations could have an agreement in principle this year. They have been negotiating since 1992.

Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian reminded Bennett that the DehchoFirst Nations havebeen in talks with Canada for nearly 20 years, and negotiations are stalled over surface and subsurface resource rights.

The DehchoFirst Nations wantto temporarily set aside land and resources and work on issues like education and self-government, Norwegian said.

"We are trying to decide how that looks like for us. It is a struggle and we really would like to move forward, but make sure that it is on our terms, that we are moving toward self-determination," Norwegian said.

Meanwhile, K'atl'odeecheFirst Nation Chief April Martel says the community is leaning toward self-government, but has concerns about keeping reserve status under the Indian Act.

"That's really powerful to our people because we don't want to lose that. I want you to recognize that," she said to Bennett.