Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member’s questioning on behalf of the Dehcho First Nations brings to mind the old fable of the boy who cried wolf. The Government of the Northwest Territories has never left the table. We’ve never said we would not negotiate. We are prepared to negotiate. The Dehcho First Nations has gone through great contortions to show otherwise. Their legal counsel has written to us and said they absolutely reject our latest offer. Their legal counsel has written to us and threatened to take us to court, and we’re prepared to negotiate and always have been. Thank you.

As far as we’re concerned, nothing has changed. We are prepared to negotiate. The DCFN legal counsel has rejected out of hand our latest offer. He’s threatened to take us to court. He won’t say on what basis. We have always said we have never left the table. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the planning for the Round Table on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, it was felt that an interjection of this motion to all the provinces and territories would be a complicating factor, because if we sent it out to all the provinces and territories, some of them may think it would be sufficient to just pass a motion in their Legislative Assembly rather than participate in the Round Table on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The letters have not gone as of yet and the planning for the Round Table on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women, the advice we received was that to introduce the concept of a motion at this stage would confuse and complicate the planning for the round table. So now that the Round Table on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women has occurred, we will be proceeding forthwith to send out the letters to all of the provincial and territorial Legislatures. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not aware of anybody being selected as of yet. I do know that they’ve gone out for expressions of interest, and I understand there are seven proposals that have been received, and I expect that very soon they’ll go to requests for proposal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the North lost one of the true pioneers of governance in the NWT with the passing of Tom Butters. Tom served in the Legislative Assembly from 1970 to 1991. As one of the longest serving MLAs in the North, his respectful and steady approach was admired by those who served with him.

The flags outside the Legislative Assembly have been lowered to half-mast today out of respect for Tom Butters and all he did for the people of the Northwest Territories.

Born in Vancouver, BC, in 1925, Mr. Butters moved North in 1947. He was a prospector in the Yukon and worked on the Alaska Highway with...

As I indicated, we will be sending out the motion to all the provincial and territorial Legislatures. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That was my understanding. We will follow the direction that was outlined in the motion that was passed by this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My understanding is that there were two rounds of requests for proposal. The first round there were none that passed muster. With the second round, my understanding is that as soon as they review them and, if they qualify, they will start, I believe, very soon after April. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to recognize two Pages from Yellowknife South, Megan Vu and Lucas Heal, and also – we went to Grandin College together – Ernie Bernhardt. Thank you.