OTTAWA - The federal government is ignoring some of its responsibilities under the Western Arctic land claims deal it struck with the Inuit 23 years ago, the auditor general says.
Sheila Fraser said Tuesday that Ottawa paid the money it promised, but has fallen well short on other parts of the landmark agreement.
It doesn't ensure that Inuvialuit, the people of the Western Arctic, get a reasonable share of federal contracts in the region; it has dragged its feet on some land problems; and it hasn't even set down a plan to ensure that its obligations under the agreement are met.
Fraser said Ottawa mistakenly transferred some lands in 1984 -- including some parcels holding municipal infrastructure owned by the territorial government and part of a runway belonging to Transport Canada.
The errors have yet to be resolved. In some cases, the Inuvialuit are actually billing the territorial government for using the land transferred by mistake. Ottawa refuses to help with the bills or arrange land swaps.
Nor has the government acted to transfer parcels of land -- mainly military and research stations -- it no longer needs.
She said the department "has yet to show the leadership and commitment necessary to meet the federal obligations and achieve the goals of the agreement.''
Indian and Northern Affairs officials told her they don't believe that the department has a responsibility to achieve the goals set out in the agreement, including preservation of native identity, improving the economic status of the Inuvialuit and protecting the environment.
"They stated that the agreement obliges them neither to achieve these goals nor to measure progress towards them.''
Fraser did find that Ottawa had met its environmental and wildlife obligations and was working with the Inuit in these areas.
The report said the government agreed with Fraser's recommendations and says it will mend its ways. Among other things, Indian and Northern Affairs agreed to speed up the handling of the land questions.
