The Sahtu Dene and Metis have a right to self-government that was included in their land claim agreement. The Deline Final Self-Government Agreement is a way for the Aboriginal people of Deline to put that right into action. It is an agreement between the Deline First Nation Band, the Deline Land Corporation, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada. It will give the band members and beneficiaries more control over the decisions that affect them every day, such as how government money is spent in their community and how local programs and services are delivered.

Self-government will mean change for everyone living in Deline. This includes Deline First Nation members and non-members. It will also affect Deline First Nation Band members and land claim beneficiaries who live outside the community.

Once Deline is self-governing, members of the Deline First Nation Band and land claim beneficiaries who are registered with the Deline Land Corporation will all be Deline First Nation Citizens. Their new government will be called the Deline Got’ine Government and it will take over the roles of the land corporation and the band, as well as the Charter Community.

Self-government will give the people of Deline more control over their language, culture, customs and traditions. The new government (called the Deline Got’ine Government, or DGG) will bring together the existing powers of the Charter Community, the Deline Land Corporation and the Deline First Nation Band. It will also have the following powers:

• It will be able to make laws over many local matters (for example, education)
• It will be responsible for many programs and services that are now handled by either the GNWT or the Government of Canada (such as programs and services to support children and families)
• It will have law-making powers over Aboriginal matters for the people of Deline (such as traditional healing)

Yes. While we will still need to do careful planning, a lot of work has already been done to get ready.

The new government will not take on all of its possible roles and powers at once. At first, it will only take on what the existing organizations are already doing, as well as a few things it needs to operate as a government. Over time, it will take on more responsibilities as it is ready.

The Deline Final Self-Government Agreement provides a lot of information about how self-government will work. There is also a detailed Implementation Plan that explains all the steps the governments will follow to make the change to self-government. An Implementation Committee has been set up to help with this process over time. It is important to remember that most of the responsibilities the new government will take on at first are already things already handled by the Charter Community, the Deline Land Corporation and the Deline First Nation Band. The staff of these organizations will become part of the new government.

Deline has set up a Transition Team and is creating a transition plan to make sure the change happens smoothly.

September 1, 2016 is “Effective Date.” At midnight on August 31, 2016, the DelineK’aowedó Ke (DKK) (i.e. Main Council)will have their first meeting. At that meeting, they will pass the DGG core laws, first budget, and additional instruments that will allow the DGG to legally begin functioning without any interruption in service when they open for business at 9 AM that day. From that moment, the Charter Community of Deline, the Deline First Nation and the Deline Land Corporation will no longer exist and the Deline Got’ine Government will take over their authorities and responsibilities.

The leaders of the Deline Got’ine Government will be elected on June 6, 2016. This election is being run under the NWT Local Authorities Election Act. Once the government is up and running, the Deline Got’ine Government may develop its own election act for future elections.

The election will be for Ekwatide (Chief)and for six council positions on the Deline K’aowedo Ke (DKK—Main Council). The ʔohda K’aowe Ke (Elders Council) is appointing their own members and will appoint a representative to the DKK.

The Dene Gha Gok’e rehkw’i (DGGR) (Beneficiaries Board) draft law is presently being reviewed by community members. It will be made up of the Ekwatide and four beneficiaries (including seats reserved for non-residents) appointed by a nominations committee.

Non-residents do not vote in the DGG elections. However, they have an opportunity to participate in the Dene Gha Gok’e rehkw’i (Beneficiaries Board)selection process. They can also attend the annual gathering.

Setting up the government is called “implementation”. Implementing the Final Self-Government Agreement and the transition to the Deline Got’ine Government requires work from all staff, leadership and technical advisors.

This is led by the Transition Team members (Kirk Dolphus, Senior Administrative Officer, Charter Community of Deline; Paulina Roche, Band Manager, Deline First Nation; Christine Firth, Executive Director, Deline Land Corporation; and Phebie Kenny, Manager, Housing Corporation). They are experienced at managing the organizations that are transitioning into the DGG. They make decisions on technical and administrative issues, direct the work of the technical advisors, direct their staff to do transition tasks, and provide their expertise on how to transition programs and systems to the DGG.

Technical advisors have in-depth technical knowledge on areas such as accounting, law, lands regulation and management, and policy. They develop laws, regulations, and institutional and operational policies that they recommend to the Transition Team and leaders to make decisions on. Technical advisors plan transition activities, and do tasks assigned by the Transition Team. The technical advisors are Danny Gaudet, Chief Negotiator; Raymond Tutcho, Communications; Patricia Modeste, Administrative Support; Stephanie Irlbacher-Fox, Implementation Director; Rosanna Nicol, Implementation Researcher; Shannon Ward, Lands Advisor; Alex Ker, Finance Advisor; Jessica Iveson, Legal Counsel - Transition; and Brian Crane, Legal Counsel, Tax and Negotiations.

The GNWT is also providing support by lending some of their staff to do specific technical tasks as requested by Deline.

Updating the phone system is not a priority for Effective Date and will be for the new government to decide if it's worth it at this time. However, if any changes to phone numbers are made these will be posted widely on the websites and in the community so that people know how to contact the person they are looking for.

Email addresses will change, (for example, DFN_receptionist will likely become DGG_receptionist). These changes will also be widely publicized in the DGG Government Directory.

Yes. Canada and the GNWT continue to work with us on transition matters as required and as requested. The GNWT, through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, is providing us with expertise in areas such as elections, human resources and financial accounting. Self-government means there is a change in the relationship between the three governments, but it continues to be a cooperative relationship. As Deline is the first community self-government in Canada there is a lot to learn, which makes it especially important to work together.

We have completed the following:

• A full set of draft laws;
• An implementation analysis framework that we apply to ensure that we have a plan how each law will be implemented within the DGG, including regulations, policies, procedures, and staff responsibilities;
• A comprehensive operational policies and procedures manual;
• Human Resource policies and procedures;
• Planning for the first election;
• Internal transition task identification workshops and to-do lists for the First Nation, Land Corporation, and Charter Community;
• Design of a land and resource management framework and lands management function;
• Negotiation of tax agreements with Canada;
• Drafting of tax laws;
• Undertaking the lands transfer process;
• Undertaking the development of a financial accounting system and associated policies and procedures;
• Completed design and undertaking development of operational policies and procedures;
• Initiated program and service Transition Briefings.

Between March and September we will complete:

• Asset inventories;
• Human resource job matching, job offers and position recruitment;
• Orientation and decision making sessions with the Joint Leadership Council;
• Completion of administrative, financial and legislative systems and procedures;
• Finalizing the government operational planning.

The Final Self-Government Agreement says that people in Deline will continue to have programs and services that are similar to those in other communities in the NWT. To help make sure this happens, the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will have to set up and enforce its own standards. This will make sure that the programs and services are delivered safely and effectively.

The standards for many programs, like those for child protection, must line up with standards across the NWT. For other programs and services, the DGG will be able to set standards that are better suited to the language, culture and traditions of Deline.

The Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will manage community affairs and local services such as the following:

• Liquor and gaming regulation
• Aboriginal affairs, including language and culture
• Education, including early childhood education
• Adoption
• Health services
• Social housing and income support
• Tourism in the Deline district
• Local land use planning

The DGG will not take on all of these responsibilities right away. For example, education and health services are complex areas. They will be managed by the GNWT until the DGG is ready to take them on.

Under the FSGA, the DGG will deliver local services to all residents of Deline as the Charter Community of Deline is currently doing. Residents of Deline who currently meet eligibility requirements for existing territorial or federal programs and services will continue to receive those programs and services from those governments after self-government. When the DGG is ready, it will be able to exercise its social jurisdictions for all residents of Deline. When that happens, discussions will take place among the governments to ensure a smooth transition.

All residents of Deline who are Canadian citizens and meet age and residency requirements may run for office in the DGG and may vote in DGG elections, though there will be some positions that will only be open to Deline First Nation Citizens to run for and vote on.

The Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will bring together the Charter Community, the Deline Land Corporation and the Deline First Nation Band into a single government.

It will include:

• The Ekwatide (Chief)
• The Deline K’aowedo Ke (Council)
• The Deline ʔohda K’aowe Ke (Elders Council)
• The Deline K’a Dats’eredi Ke (Justice Council)
• The Beneficiaries Board (Land Claim Board)

Each part has its own roles and responsibilities. The Beneficiaries Board will be separate from the rest of the DGG and will make decisions on how land claim money, assets and rights are used and managed.

The Band, the Charter Community and the Land Corporation each handle different things and are governed by different laws. For example, the Band was created by the Indian Act and many decisions are made by the federal government. The Charter Community falls under GNWT laws, and the GNWT can change municipal laws when it wants. The Deline Land Corporation is created through the land claim. It is responsible for the land claim rights and assets (lands, buildings, businesses) of beneficiaries.

Having so many organizations, councils and committees can sometimes be confusing and does not make it easy for organizations to work together. Often the frustration is increased because the final decisions about some programs and services are made in Yellowknife or Ottawa.

A major benefit of self-government is that all of these different responsibilities, programs and services can be done by one organization, under one set of rules. There will be one election and one council to make decisions. There will stable funding for five years at a time. This will allow for longer-term budgets, staffing and planning.

Having one government will also make it easier to consult people, get their input and explain how decisions are made. The new government will be set up to make sure it is open and accountable.

Everything the Charter Community does will still happen as normal, but these things will now be handled by the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) instead of the Charter Community. The people who work for the Charter Community will do similar jobs for the DGG.

The responsibility of paying for the government will be shared by the Government of Canada, the GNWT and the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG). There is a Financing Agreement that makes sure the DGG had enough money to take on its responsibilities. This includes funding the band, the land corporation and the Charter Community receive, plus funding for new responsibilities the DGG will take on. This funding will be better because it will be in place for five years at a time. To make sure the DGG can continue to support its programs and services, funding will be adjusted over time. Also, as the DGG takes on more responsibilities, it will negotiate additional funding for those responsibilities with the GNWT and Canada.

The DGG will be able to raise its own money in a number of ways. For example, it can collect taxes, charge fees for permits, licences and land rentals, and make money from investments.

No. Self-government will not change the rights and benefits the Deline Dene and Metis have under Treaty 11 or the land claim. Instead, it builds on them by giving the people of Deline the ability to make laws and take over programs and services in the community and on Settlement Lands.

Under self-government, Deline First Nation Citizens will no longer be governed by the Indian Act. However, Deline First Nation citizens who qualify to be Status Indians can still be registered under the Indian Act. This means they can still qualify for any government program intended for Status Indians as long as it is not a program being delivered by the Deline Got’ine Government.

One thing that will change is our taxation status. After a transition period, band members will lose their Section 87 tax exemption under the Indian Act. This will not happen right away. After 8 years of being self-governing, band members will no longer be eligible for the exemption from sales taxes such as the GST and fuel and tobacco taxes. After 12 years, they will not be exempt from paying tax on income earned on a reserve.

Because Deline is not a reserve, many Deline First Nation members already pay income tax and GST, and this money goes to the Government of Canada. Once Deline is self-governing, most of this money will go to the DGG to deliver programs and services.

Yes. The official languages of the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will be North Slavey and English.You will be able to communicate with the DGG in either language.

The DGG will also be able to decide how their language, culture and traditions are used in programs and services.

There will be two noticeable changes to taxes under self-government. As a government, the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will have the ability to raise money by collecting taxes. The tax status of individual Deline band members will also change.

The DGG and Canada intend to make an agreement that will allow the DGG to collect its own income tax from people living in the community of Deline or on Settlement Lands. The DGG’s tax would replace 95% of the federal income tax. This means there would be no increase in tax levels for Deline residents. Residents will still use the same process to file their taxes. The Canada Revenue Agency will still collect these taxes, but it will transfer the revenues to the DGG.

The DGG and Canada will also make an agreement so the DGG can have its own tax on goods and services (GST). The DGG’s GST would apply to all goods and services used in the community of Deline and on Settlement Lands. The Government of Canada will use a formula to estimate the average amount of GST paid by NWT residents. It will use this number to decide how much GST is transferred to the DGG each year.

Yes. If you are eligible to register as a Status Indian under the Indian Act, you can still register after self-government is in place. This means that you will still qualify for non-insured health benefits provided by government for Status Indians like dental care, prescription medication and prescription glasses benefits.

The Final Self-Government Agreement (FSGA) is only a tool. How it works is the responsibility of the DGG, the GNWT and the Government of Canada. The FSGA provides a lot of flexibility to allow the DGG to change and adapt over time.

If either the Deline Got’ine Government, Government of Canada or GNWT would like to change the FSGA, it can ask to do so, but all three governments must agree before any changes are made. Most issues that come up can probably be dealt with among the governments in less formal ways, including through the Implementation Committee. This ensures the three governments will continue to work together to make the agreement work for many years to come.

The Deline Got'ine Government (DGG) will be able to make laws about K-12 education, early childhood education and adult education and training. It can deliver programs in these areas and form partnerships to help the community build capacity to deliver programs.

Under the DGG, the education system will follow the GNWT’s education system, but the DGG can also add things to promote and strengthen the language, culture and traditions of the people of Deline. Educational programming can include the knowledge and skills of Elders, as well as Dene language and culture. The DGG will also be able to certify teachers in Deline.

This is not a responsibility the DGG will take right on away, but it is a priority area they will look at taking on in the first five to ten years. Until the DGG is ready, the GNWT will continue to deal with education matters in the community as it does now.

When it is ready, the DGG will be able to establish post-secondary programs (such as diploma programs) and create the institutions to deliver them. It will also be able to make its own laws for the education of adults.

Finally, the DGG will be able to provide education support services for Deline First Nation Citizens, no matter where they live. This means that the DGG can choose to support the education of its citizens anywhere in Canada.

Once the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) is created, it will take on the land claim responsibilities that are now handled by the Deline Land Corporation. Decisions about the land claim will be made by the DGG but only with the consent of the Beneficiaries Board. The DGG will be open and transparent with beneficiaries and make sure they know how the land and money from the land claim will be used.

Like the Deline Land Corporation, the Beneficiaries Board will be controlled by and accountable to beneficiaries. Only land claim beneficiaries will be able to sit on the board and make decisions about land claim assets and rights. Beneficiaries do not have to live in Deline to be on the board. The people who sit on the board will be elected by beneficiaries and all beneficiaries can vote, no matter where they live.

Self-government is the start of a new relationship between governments. This relationship will change over time. But the Final Self-Government Agreement (FSGA) says how the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG), the GNWT and Canada will work together after self-government is in place. The Implementation Committee is one way the governments will continue to work together to make sure the change to self-government is happening properly and to deal with any issues that come up.

The DGG will be able to make its own laws for the community. The FSGA says how these laws will work with the laws of the NWT and Canada. If there is a conflict between the DGG law and federal or NWT laws, in many cases the DGG law will be followed.

Devolution does not affect the powers of the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG). However, under devolution the DGG will:

• Receive a share of resource revenues provided to the Sahtu Secretariat Inc. through the Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement; and
• Have a say in the Resource Management Forum that is created by the devolution agreement.

For the first several years, the Deline Got’ine Government will only manage the programs and services that the DFN, DLC and Charter Community currently manage. Over time, the DGG can take on more responsibility when it is ready. When it comes to health care, the DGG will only have authority over traditional healing services and to make arrangements for managing the health programs and services of other governments. Unless all parties agree to amend the Final Self-Government Agreement, the GNWT will keep its authority over primary health care programs and services.

The new Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will not take on all powers right away. In fact, for the first several years, the DGG will mostly just be taking over the roles and responsibilities that people in the DFN, DLC and Charter Community are already managing, and will have the same staff. Over time, the DGG has the ability to choose to take on more responsibility when it is ready. There is also a Deline Transition Team that has developed a plan to make sure that Deline can handle the change.

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a method used to remove oil or natural gas from underground rock. A liquid (typically water mixed with sand and chemicals) is injected into the rock at high pressure. This creates small fractures in the rock and releases the oil or gas.

We understand peoples’ concerns about fracking because it is a very immediate issue for everyone in our region. Self-government will not change how oil and gas projects are permitted. That will still be done through the National Energy Board and the Sahtu Land and Water Board. Also, projects will be subject to environmental review by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. But the Deline Got’ine Government will have a significant influence and will be involved whenever Deline settlement lands are impacted. There will be many opportunities for Deline First Nation Citizens to tell their government how they want to be represented in these processes, including the Community Gathering that must be held every year.

Non-resident beneficiaries will not be as directly impacted by self-government as those who live in Deline. They can continue to be as involved as they choose to be through the Beneficiaries Board. They will also benefit from self-government in other ways, such as:

• A more efficient, integrated approach to managing land claim rights and assets
• More flexibility in how land claim assets are used to create benefits for all its beneficiaries (no matter where they live)
• A better situation in Deline for friends and family who are still living there
• A better foundation to protect and strengthen Deline culture, language and traditions

Health and dental benefits are Status Indian benefits available to all Status Indians in Canada. This means that Status Indians who are Deline First Nation Citizens will continue to receive these benefits once self-government is in place.

Because the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) is taking over government functions, it will receive most of the tax dollars that our people are currently paying to the Government of Canada. However, the DGG will not get all tax dollars paid by Deline residents. For example, the part of their taxes that goes to the GNWT will continue to go to the territorial government to fund all the programs and services it continues to deliver to Deline residents (health, education, etc.). Taxes paid by people who don’t live in Deline will continue to go to the federal and provincial/territorial governments as they do now as they will continue to use the programs and services provided by these governments.

In Canada, governments generally do not pay GST (federal, provincial, municipal and Aboriginal governments). The Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will receive GST as a government and will use those tax dollars to fund programs and services. For beneficiaries who don’t live in Deline, the benefits of this may not be as direct. However, funding used to strengthen your home community and the language and culture of Deline will benefit everyone who calls Deline home or who still has friends and family in Deline.

In exchange for individual tax benefits, we will gain a tax benefit as a group. This is good for all beneficiaries, not just those who live in Deline. With self-government, the Deline Got’ine Government (DGG) will have a lot more flexibility with how land claim monies are used for beneficiaries (in ways that are not taxable). The DGG will be able to make investments to make money for beneficiaries that will not be subject to the same taxes as they are now.  The DGG will be able to make payments to Deline beneficiaries as the Deline Land Corporation did this year. All beneficiaries (regardless of where they live) will be able to have input into decisions about how land claim assets are used through the Beneficiaries Board.