Bob McLeod

I am pleased to be here today to present the Department of Executive’s 2013-2014 Main Estimates.

In 2013-2014, the Department of Executive has identified a total operations budget of $20.464 million. There is a net decrease of approximately 10.5 percent from the 2012-2013 Main Estimates. As noted, this decrease is primarily associated with the sunset of devolution negotiations funding. Once a final Devolution Agreement is signed, the level of implementation activity and the required funding for 2013-2014 will increase significantly from the $6.071 million currently projected but will be offset...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That’s correct and this position gives a focus to not only women’s issues, but also to promote advances in gender equity. Thank you.

That’s correct.

I guess the other way forward we see it is with devolution and with greater use of northern tools to make advances in different land issues. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I’ve already indicated that the public will have unprecedented opportunities to have public engagement on this deal. I personally don’t believe in running government by referendum or by plebiscite. I would not support that.

We will endeavour to do that. Also, our fiscal strategy would allow us a little more flexibility in future years as well. We think this is a very important area, so we’ll take the Member’s counsel and do whatever we can to try to increase this amount. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. We have already hired legislative drafters specifically to provide for the 24 statutes and acts that we have to deal with to make devolution happen. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, sorry, I forgot to mention Tlicho. They are still working on that one as well. Thank you.

We are all elected by the people of the Northwest Territories to do a job and represent our constituents to the best of our ability. By all means we will bring it to this Assembly.

We’ll look at it and see why we weren’t making it public in the first place. So we’ll take it under consideration. Thanks, Mr. Chair.