With my colleagues’ co-operation again for returning to the next item on the orders, I will be asking the Minister’s assurance that he will make clear that come devolution day, every hunting and fishing leaseholder will be rigorously held to conditions for no creation of permanent structures. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to return to item 3 on the orders of the day.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thanks to the Minister for that response. The information that I received from our Minister indicates that AANDC has a heap of applications on file, so the potential is large for a lot more of these to be happening in the area that we’re trying to manage responsibly.

I appreciate hearing that the Minister has been in touch with the federal government on this and let him know that we’d like no further leases. I understand there is no response yet, but does the Minister agree that the next recreational leases granted on lands should, in fact, be decided by this government and not the federal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement with some questions on the Recreational Leasing Policy. First of all I want to clarify who knew what on the issue of the many so-called hunting and fishing leases granted by AANDC, particularly those on Walsh and Banting lakes.

Can the Minister confirm whether his department was informed by our federal land management partner of its intention to grant new leases in the exact areas and lakes where we are trying to introduce comprehensive land use management? And really, for that matter, can the Minister confirm whether any...

Thank you, colleagues. I appreciate the opportunity to give my Member’s statement here today. For the past four years, I pushed for sound recreational land use planning in the Yellowknife block of land transfer area surrounding Walsh and Banting lakes and beyond. We had a premature draft plan released by MACA and a promise for a completed policy framework by this March 31st, but thanks to recent and outrageous action by our federal land management partners, we can forget about that document or any worthwhile plan for now.

Walsh and Banting lease holders are steaming over AANDC’s recent granting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again for that response. My constituents include the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and many of the Akaitcho people. Every new land alienation in the Chief Drygeese territory makes it more complex and difficult to finally conclude a just land settlement for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. The federal government seems to interpret their fiduciary role here in a very strange way. I am surprised YKDFN hasn’t thrown up their hands and told the federal government they will see them in court.

If YKDFN does decide to go to legal action to halt this erosion of their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize David Connelly, a resident of Weledeh, here with his colleagues. I would also like to recognize Peter Redvers here representing Sambaa K’e Dene Band of Trout Lake and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation of Kakisa and their considerable work on the Protected Areas Strategy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that. The poem contained a person’s first name. I should have caught this and questioned it, but I did not. If in so doing I caused unintended offence to anyone, I apologize to both them and this House. Further, Mr. Speaker, I will be on guard to make sure that I will not do this again. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all I’d like to thank my colleague Ms. Bisaro for assisting with this motion. I’d like to thank the House for the opportunity to bring this proposal for consideration by my colleagues here today.

What is the legal basis for a plebiscite? Our Elections and Plebiscite Act says the Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, may, by order, direct that a plebiscite be held on any question that is of importance to the people of the Northwest Territories or to the people of one or more electoral districts. It further says a plebiscite is only for...

WHEREAS the Elections and Plebiscites Act provides that the Commissioner may, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, direct that a plebiscite be held on any question that is of importance to the people of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories signed the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement-in-Principle on January 26, 2011;

AND WHEREAS on March 11, 2013, the Prime Minister of Canada announced that consensus on the terms for achieving devolution of lands and resources to the Northwest Territories had been reached;

AN...