Bob McLeod

Yes, I would, Madam Chair.

We just received the Auditor General report today. It was just tabled yesterday, so I will have to take the question as notice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will take that question and respond very quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize and congratulate the people of Deline for their success in developing an agreement that will not only serve the people of Deline but will also provide a model for other communities in the Northwest Territories and throughout Canada to consider.

This agreement is a made-in-the-Northwest Territories model for implementing the inherent right of self-government that follows the vision that the elders and leaders of Deline have held to for many years. This agreement could not have been possible without the hard work of many people, and I would like to take a few...

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with third reading of Bill 46, Deline Self-Government Agreement Act.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right I have Fred Talen, senior negotiator, Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. To my left I have Ken Chutskoff, legal counsel.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be here today to speak about Bill 46, Deline Final Self-Government Agreement Act.

This bill approves, gives effect to and declares valid the Deline Final Self-Government Agreement. This self-government agreement will create the Deline Got’ine Government, which is the first stand-alone community-based self-government in the history of the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

This bill also gives effect to the Deline Tax Treatment Agreement, which relates to the tax treatment of the Deline Got’ine Government.

The bill provides for consequential amendments to the...

I thank the Member for the question. I will get the information and respond to him as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Justice has accepted all of the recommendations of the office of the Auditor General and has made a lot of progress and introduced a lot of changes already. If the audit had been done now, it would have been a very different audit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There will be no change in the operation of these boards and we have confirmed with AANDC that they will be assessing not only the court decision but also how to keep the current system functional. Our Department of Lands will also be doing a preliminary scan of significant projects that are currently within the MVRMA.