Nunavut premier eyes province-like powers over land and resources

Nunavut's premier is eyeing a tentative devolution pactwith the federal government as early as this fall a major steppingstone toward the eastern Arctic territory getting province-likepowers over its land and resources.

Peter Taptuna, who is making the rounds in Ottawa, said a finaldeal might not be far off once the two sides reach an
agreement-in-principle.

He said the talks could follow the template of the neighbouringNorthwest Territories, whose own devolution took effect last April,a year after the territory reached its own agreement-in-principlewith the federal government.

"We know how to use the examples that were used in the NorthwestTerritories and experience and learn from there and speed up theprocess," Taptuna said in an interview Tuesday.

Nunavut is the only one of Canada's three territories without adevolution pact. The Northwest Territories' devolution agreementwith the federal government took effect last April after two decadesof talks, while the Yukon has long had control over its land andresources.

The Nunavut government, Ottawa and the Inuit land-claim grouphave been working on a deal that would give the territory greatercontrol over its resources and royalties since 2008.

Last October, the federal government appointed lawyer BrianDominique as its chief negotiator to work towards a devolution deal.

He was also the chief federal negotiator in the NorthwestTerritories deal.

"Devolution is a long-term goal," Taptuna said. "You're notgoing to see royalties rolling in after an agreement is signed. Westill have to develop our natural resources by putting ininfrastructure."

Chasing those infrastructure dollars is part of why Taptunastayed behind in Ottawa after last week's meeting of provincial andterritorial leaders. He is making the rounds as the Conservativegovernment prepares its upcoming budget.

Taptuna armed with binders and feasibility studies met PrimeMinister Stephen Harper on Monday to talk about ways to improve theterritory's aging infrastructure and economy.

But the premier, who was coy about how much money he'd like tosee for Nunavut in Finance Minister Joe Oliver's spring budget,acknowledged the Conservatives are in a tough spot as they try tobalance the books with less money coming in from oil royalties.

"One thing that we are trying to respect, you know, aspoliticians, we don't create expectations that may or may not, youknow," he said.

"Again, it's very difficult when the federal government has lossof revenues, with oil prices going way down."

The premier also met Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourtand Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq, who represents theterritory in the House of Commons.