Statements in Debates
This body can only make recommendations, so any recommendations that they make have to come back to this body and public input will come through these Members that are here, and they can get input in whatever fashion they want. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to Bill 14, Waters Act. The passage of this legislation is an important step towards implementing the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement.
The Waters Act substantially mirrors the federal Northwest Territories Waters Act, which Canada will make inapplicable on lands and waters not retained by the federal government on April 1, 2014.
Under the Devolution Agreement, the GNWT is committed to “substantially mirror” Canada’s statutes and regulations that are being repealed or made inapplicable to public lands and waters transferring to...
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is something that has been negotiated for some time. The framework was provided for in the agreement-in-principle, which is public information. This involves Aboriginal governments, so this is an agreement that was negotiated on that basis. The Aboriginal governments have also indicated that they want to be involved in a review and participate in a review of all the legislation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Yes, I would, Madam Chair.
There are four pillars to good government: accountability, participation, predictability and transparency. For those that are in these three categories, in the highest categories we require this transparency. So if we’re giving them money to distribute, then they would have to account for it generally through audited financial statements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Again, in response to a previous question, I referenced the Government of the Northwest Territories Third-Party Agencies Accountability Framework. We have three categories of third-party agencies and they’re categorized based on accountability. The ones that require the most accountability are the ones that provide the most essential services. The second category provides services but are not as essential. The third category provides other services. Depending on the category that the NGO is in, that’s where the accountability comes in. So if the NGO that you’re referencing is in category one...
I’m not sure when the Member checked the website, but I checked it today and it looked like it was updated. But for the Member’s information, for 2013-14 there were 16 applications and 11 organizations were granted funding. For this upcoming year we have guaranteed that we will have our request for applications before the end of May and that we will have the money out before the end of July. Thank you.
Thank you. The Government of the Northwest Territories does not prescribe NGO mandates or activities. What we do is we assist them. So with the NGO Stabilization Fund, for example, we provide short-term support to NGOs for governance, management, organizational development and extraordinary operations so that they can continue to provide the essential services.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Kam Lake, that Bill 3, Surface Rights Board Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to recognize my wife of 40 years and my lifelong partner, and also another constituent of Yellowknife South, Carmelita Allen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.