Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table a statistically valid poll of small and large communities, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, male and female residents of the Northwest Territories, sponsored by Alternatives North and entitled EKOS Poll Reveals Groundswell of Support for Plebiscite on Devolution Agreement.
Thanks to the Minister. Some time ago committee commented on the NWT Land Use and Sustainability Framework but it seems to have disappeared into the quagmire. Will the Minister be bringing this forward for consideration by committee before it’s finalized? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on the Minister’s statement earlier today on the update on the Protected Areas Strategy from the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources and see if I can seek some more clarity. He did state we will continue to support the completion of working group reports and the extension of interim land withdrawals for candidate areas, which I really appreciate. He also says we will continue to advance the establishment of core representative areas within each eco-region, which makes sense.
My question is: Are any of the five areas currently scheduled...
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?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This motion is overdue. Action on this front is overdue. I thank my colleagues for bringing this forward. Highways in the Northwest Territories are a part of GNWT infrastructure and, as such, we are the responsible party. Communities are clearly willing, if properly resourced with equipment and training, to fill in here, but they need proper support. The horror of having severe injuries and being left to suffer with nobody responsible to respond and/or no one with capacity to do so by those who are willing is completely untenable. I will be supporting this motion, as I...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is: What will our role be in land use planning, actual land use planning on the ground under the new auspices of devolution? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to know exactly what are these new and existing northern tools that we hear referred to explicitly. Thank you.