Carrier Sekani Tribal Council chief Terry Teegee is "cautiously optimistic" the federal Liberals' decision to split Indigenous and Northern Affairs into two ministries will make lives better for Aboriginal people.
As part of a cabinet shuffle this week, health minister Jane Philpott was moved to the new post of Minister of Indigenous Services while incumbent Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett was assigned Crown-Indigenous Relations.
It means Philpott will take on the more day-to-day task of delivering services while Bennett will focus on higher-level constitutional issues and land claims.
Teegee noted the idea was first raised by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in its 1996 report but ignored by the Chretien government. It was a good idea then and remains a good idea now, according to Teegee.
"To actually implement it 21 years later, at least I suppose there's movement," he said.
That said, Teegee is withholding final judgment until he sees how things unfold.
He said there is a fear the new ministries to lead to the creation of more unneeded bureaucracy and "nothing concrete being accomplished." Over the past 20-30 years, he said obligations by Aboriginal organizations to report have grown to the point of becoming a hindrance.
But if it works out, he said programs will be administered and policies developed that are "more functional for our people."
In terms of priorities related to Philpott's portfolio, he said dealing with aging infrastructure, particularly in the more remote communities, is top of list.
As for Bennett's responsibilities, he said there is a need to make the Indian Act "more workable and more current in terms of where the political landscape is in this country and in this province."
On that note, Teegee said that should include recognition of aboriginal rights and title and implementation of the United Nations Declaration of Rights for Indigenous People.
