N.W.T. superboard appointment process 'well underway': federal gov't

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada says the process of nominating people to Northwest Territories' restructured Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board is "well underway."

Currently, four boardsissue land use permits and water licences for resource extraction in the Mackenzie Valley.

The consolidatedboard, set totake effect on April1, will consistof the following members:

• five individual members, each nominated by aboriginal groups in the Gwich'in,Sahtu, Tlicho,Dehcho and Akaitcho regions
• two members nominated by the territorial government
• three members nominated by the federal government
• a chair nominated by the federal minister Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

Only the federal government andTlichoGovernment havethe right to both nominate and appoint a member. The other regions, plus the territorial government, must have their nominees approved by Aboriginal Affairs.

Each of the existing land and water boards is currently made up of a chair and two to four members. Aboriginal Affairs says it's encouraging each of the regions to appoint some of thoseexisting members to the new board.

"To ensure a smooth transition to the new board, the ministers approach for Canadas appointments has been that current land and water board members should be considered for reappointment whenever possible," the department wrote via email.

"He has encouraged his counterparts to consider a similar approach."

Details on final board appointments"will be released when they become available," the department added.