Bob Bromley

I should be clear that I support the concept of an Intergovernmental Council if it’s transparent and clear. It’s not transparent and clear, and the Premier’s minions do not understand, because they’re telling us that the Intergovernmental Council is setting priorities which are the responsibility of this House. That’s the example I raised.

As an elected representative of the people, when I look at the Premier’s push to give away and limit our right to authority without any democratic review still, I have concerns about the opportunity to meet the expectations of the public for MLA involvement...

Transparency is one of the cornerstones of consensus government. What other decisions, properly belonging to the House, are the Premier and Intergovernmental Council making without the participation of MLAs? If the Premier has his way, and without even observer status for elected representatives of the people, we may never know. Mahsi.

Just a comment. I think we have covered this to a good degree. Obviously, I don’t think we’ve come up with a response, but I would just note that highways, this division is accounting for 44 percent of our infrastructure budget. That’s probably almost the definition of putting all our eggs in one basket and I don’t think it’s a wise use of our resources.

The Premier just explained how he contravened the consensus government, given that the mandate of this council is that every government sticks to their own authorities, and the authority of the Premier is to require a consensus approach.

He also mentioned that others requested observer status, and I have absolutely no problem and we told the Premier this – I certainly told the Premier this – that the meetings should be open and transparent for any elected officials. So why did he not say yes?

I spoke about the apparent overlap of responsibility of the Intergovernmental Council and this House...

Thanks, Mr. Speaker, and thanks for that offer from the Premier. I assume he would be willing to present that in writing. I’m sure that committee would respond positively to that, had we received that.

Given that the Premier has told us that other governments would be open to observers if they also had the opportunity to have observers, would the Premier go back to them and take them up on that offer and push for observer status for elected representatives of any of the governments participating in the Intergovernmental Council? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a constituent here today who we rarely get to see in this House because of his busy schedule, but he is here today. Mr. Edward Sangris, chief of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Longstanding questions about the Intergovernmental Council on Land and Resource Management provided for under devolution remain unanswered. There remains an apparent and disturbing lack of responsibility regarding the mandate of the House and the mandate of the Intergovernmental Council, given that the council is supposed to respect the autonomy and authority of each government over its own lands.

On February 14th I asked the Premier how Regular Members would have input into the terms of reference for this administrated structure. The Premier replied, “Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I’m hearing something different than I heard recently, that we don’t have an inventory and we can’t afford to make one, and that we have some indication of what’s legal, and that’s upwards of a couple hundred of unauthorized land users.

The Minister has indicated the mechanism for members of the public to report suspected squatters when they come across them in their travels across our commons is a worthwhile action, in my communications with the Minister. Such a simple instrument of capturing public capacity should be operational today in order...

I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. Devolution certainly gave control of most of the lands of the NWT to the territorial government, but control is more than writing regulations – they sound good on paper, obviously – it is also having the ability and the will the Minister has expressed to enforce them. Unenforced regulations might as well not exist, as we’ve learned from our federal management experience.

What resources, money and people does the Minister plan to put into addressing the burgeoning enforcement issue in relation to these new regulations? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is also my pleasure to welcome certainly all of the Culture and Heritage Award recipients to the House, a very distinguished bunch of Northerners.

I’d like to in particular recognize a few people today: Weledeh constituent Pat Braden, and also Nicole Garbutt and her parents, John and Patti Garbutt of Weledeh.

I’d also like to recognize Janelle Nitsiza, who gave some very passionate words in response to her award today that touched many people, I know. I would like to recognize, in particular, her family who was there in support. Again, in particular, her grandmother...