Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Kam Lake, that Bill 11, Petroleum Resources Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m sure the Member will be pleased to hear that this is not a power grab. It’s moving decision-making to the North, and those most affected by activity will be making the decisions. That’s what this is all about and I’m pleased in my Minister’s statement I used those words exactly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 24, 2014, I will move that Bill 11, Petroleum Resources Act, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 10, Northwest Territories Lands Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, concluding land, resources and self-government agreements is an essential element of the political evolution of the Northwest Territories and the foundation for our future economic and political stability.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is an active party to these negotiations as we support the settlement of all outstanding Aboriginal rights in the Northwest Territories. We know, from experience, that those who have settled agreements have the necessary tools to fully participate in the Northwest Territories and Canadian economies, to strengthen their communities and...

Our government is not recognized as one of the 100 best employees in Canada because we aren’t looking after employees. If the Member has a list of employees affected that aren’t being offered jobs and are being shown the door, give it to us and we’ll fix the problem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is correct; 24 people were affected by shared services, 20 of them have jobs. There are four that have still not been placed, one in the Deh Cho and three in Yellowknife. I fully expect that they will all find suitable, reasonable employment consistent with what they are doing now.

There are three negotiating parties at the table, and we have to have some consistency across the Northwest Territories, but we do have a regional administrative system already in the Northwest Territories, so I expect that that’s something that could be negotiated, I would think.

I don’t want to be talking out of school here because we’re still going through different processes. The Dehcho are going through their process; we’re going through our process. But I think we just have to be careful here. We are talking about such an authority, but I think we have to make sure that the understandings and definitions of what that authority will be are consistent. I can say that we are discussing that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a Page from Yellowknife South, Carson Asmundson. He’s been here a few times before, and I also want to recognize all the Pages that are here today. Thank you.