Bob McLeod

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome Members back to the continuation of the Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly. We have been working together for almost four years now on our vision of strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories.

We have made progress on that vision in our time together, and I thank Members for their support and guidance on the many projects and initiatives we have successfully introduced.

As a government, we are committed to what is best for the...

While we are entering the final months of our term, the choices will continue and their impact will continue to be seen now and into the term of the next Assembly. It is up to us to make the best choices we can for the long-term future of our government and the territory, and I look forward to continuing to debate those choices with Members here in this House. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to advise Members of the passing of Mr. George Braden this past Monday in Ottawa.

Mr. Braden was a long-time Northerner who graduated from Sir John Franklin Territorial High School before studying political science at the University of Alberta and Dalhousie University.

From 1977 to 1979 Mr. Braden was an advisor to the Honourable Bud Drury, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Constitutional Development in the Northwest Territories. In 1979 he was elected to the 9th Legislative Assembly as the Member for Yellowknife North.

The...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has pre-empted us. As we indicated at the second Energy Charrette, that is exactly what our intentions are – to invest in renewable and alternative forms of energy – and we will be rolling that out when our government responds to the recommendations of the second Energy Charrette. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Northerners have long been known for their generosity, and each year the Government of the Northwest Territories employees continue to show their commitment to building stronger, healthier communities by supporting the United Way NWT.

I am very pleased to announce that this year the Government of the Northwest Territories Workplace Campaign raised just over $102,000. 

Mr. Speaker, this is the 12th year of the campaign and the most successful. The number of Government of the Northwest Territories staff generosity has doubled and their campaign pledges commit to donating nearly $100...

As I said yesterday, we have not walked away from any meetings. We have not suspended anything. We have asked for a response to a very generous offer, the best offer this government has made in the Northwest Territories. We have increased the Government of Canada’s offer from 33,448 to 37,500, and as I said, there is a main table that’s there. That involves the Government of Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Dehcho First Nation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that this type of behaviour from the Dehcho negotiators is not new. At this point it is getting even more difficult to see a path forward through negotiations.

To answer the Member’s questions, all you have to do is do the math. The federal government offered 39,000. That’s when the Dehcho included the Acho Dene Koe, the Fort Liard Metis Nation and the K’atlodeeche First Nation. So when you subtract those numbers, you come to 33,448 and we have offered 37,500 square kilometres of land, so it’s a substantial increase. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I don’t mind repeating myself many times. As I’ve said, we’re on track, we’re on schedule. The plan was for the government to respond to the Energy Charrette recommendations in May, at the same time we would identify investment in alternative and renewable forms of energy. At the same time, we are doing a tremendous amount in developing alternative sources of energy. We are the leaders in the country when it comes to biomass and other forms of renewable energy. I don’t think that should be discounted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have a number of plans. We have laid out our Economic Opportunities Strategy. Certainly part of the plan will be, as I said, investing in alternative and renewable forms of energy, as was pointed out at the Energy Charrette. Unfortunately, we will have to continue to rely on diesel at least as backup or to provide for redundancy. Certainly, we are promoting development of our local economies and that was quite welcome, but we expect we will have to take more aggressive action to develop what the Member refers to as a plan B. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize today some members involved with the United Way. Tracy St. Denis is the chair; David Connelly, the past chair; Deb Ross, board member and GNWT campaign coordinator; and Craig Yeo, board member representing labour on the United Way NWT Campaign. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.