Bob Bromley

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...

Obviously, that’s not good. A government-to-government relationship you’d expect a lot better than that, and I think we also have a responsibility to try and be aware of what our residents are being exposed to or not.

As the Minister’s December 2012 letter to AANDC Minister John Duncan said, with the signing of the Devolution AIP, it’s more important now than ever before that our two organizations work together, and I appreciate the Minister saying that.

The Minister’s letter briefed the federal Minister on the work underway to develop the recreational leasing policy framework. But what is the...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What a session, and it’s not over yet. Our second budget, devolution, big infrastructure bucks, Boundaries Commission… It’s kept us busy and consumed our energy and attention. As we reach the pause button and time permits, it may be time to sit back and consider things in a bit more depth.

It’s two out of two. Regular MLAs, through considerable solidarity and belief in priorities, modified the proposed budget once again. True, the modification is slight at half a percent of the budget, but as we all know, the dollars actually available for new initiatives are modest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the day in question, I read into the House a poem, a piece of art, social art, if you will…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate hearing from my colleagues today. I heard many comments about cost. I am the first to admit that there is a cost to democracy, and I know that everybody in this House is aware of considerable government wastage that is way beyond the cost and the benefits of a plebiscite.

I’ve heard some comments about time. The Premier waxed loquacious about how this is going to delay everything. The motion itself points out that it’s within his dictated time schedule, so there would be no delay whatsoever from this.

The people don’t want this, people are saying. I didn’t...

To the motion?