Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 46, Deline Final Self-Government Agreement Act, be read for the second time.

This bill approves, gives effect to and declares valid the Deline agreement, which is a self-government agreement among the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Deline, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada.

This bill also gives effect to the Deline Tax Treatment Agreement, which is an agreement in relation to the tax treatment of the Deline Got’ine Government.

This bill provides for the legal recognition of the...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 46 moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize the Austin family: Dad, Andrew Austin; mom, Kim Austin; sister, Maggie Austin; and brothers, Lachlan Austin and Malcolm Austin. As you know, Saturday night was the 9th Memorial Cup Challenge between the RCMP and the Yellowknife firefighters, and I’m pleased to announce that over $40,000 was raised, and the Austin family is going to Disneyland tomorrow.

---Applause

Fort Resolution has 53 jobs. Tsiigehtchic has 11 jobs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have a plan. We’ve been sharing it. We have a Refocusing Government Cabinet committee and one of its primary focuses is decentralization. The Minister of Finance is the lead Minister on decentralization, and I’m proud to say that Hay River has the second highest number of decentralized positions in this 17th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The rationale for putting it in MACA is the fact that MACA deals with all government departments, they deal with volunteers and they’re the lead on volunteerism, and they do have more capacity and more knowledgeable staff that deal with volunteers. It was seen to be a much better fit to have it in MACA than for it to stay in the Executive.

I expect it will be probably a week or so, or weeks, I guess, to be specific to your question.

The complete review and dealing with the communications review that was undertaken wasn’t completed in time for the business planning process, so if there will be further increase requirements it would be done through the supplementary process.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member is correct. That was the leftover federal money for implementation.

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.