Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has been actively participating in all land claims and self-government negotiations. We recently reviewed all of our mandates under these agreements, in order to help facilitate the negotiations. We have also been taking the approach where we have been wanting to improve our working relationships with Aboriginal governments. For those Aboriginal governments that are still negotiating land claims, we have approached them and indicated that we are interested in working with them, and also indicated to them that we would be in a...

If the Member wants to point fingers, I’d say he’s incorrect with regard to inspections of the diamond mines in the Northwest Territories. All three of the mines have environmental monitoring agencies that are tasked specifically to make sure the mines are operated in an environmental way so that all the environment is protected. Those environmental monitoring arrangements have been in place for over 10 years.

Thank you. We are a consensus government, and absolutely, we will work under that premise. Thank you.

Our devolution team, and as well as respected members of the Dene communities that have been contracted, have been to every community in the Northwest Territories to explain devolution, except for some communities in the Akaitcho. I think there are maybe one or two communities in the Deh Cho that we still have to get to. But for the most part, we’ve been to every region and every community to explain devolution. Thank you.

As the Prime Minister indicated, the commissioner’s report is a useful piece of advice that will help guide future decision-making. That will follow through to the Northwest Territories once it’s devolved. The question becomes are we better off now than we are in the future. I’m saying that, with devolution, our government will have to pay much closer attention to all of these environmental requirements because we are a smaller jurisdiction and we have to make sure that our interests are protected.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The report was just released yesterday. From the accounts that I’ve read, most of the references were to other provinces or territories. The commissioner referred to mines in Nunavut and Labrador.

I should point out that we’re still negotiating the terms of devolution arrangements. Those considerations will be taken into account as we finalize the agreement.

The Northwest Territories is showing the way in terms of environmental protection with our mines. The three diamond mines have modern environmental agreements which had to put up the highest amount and levels of...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories Annual Report, 2011-2012. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our statistics indicate that there are 73 missing or unsolved homicide investigations open in the Northwest Territories. Of these, 63 are considered historical missing person investigations. Of these 63, 13 are women, eight of whom are Aboriginal. Ten of the 63 historical cases have been deemed suspicious or foul play has not been ruled out.

Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2000, 35 deaths occurring in the Northwest Territories were classified as homicides by the coroner’s office. Eleven of the victims were women.

Along with my provincial and territorial colleagues, I am committed to working at the...

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is being presented with an exciting opportunity to engage on northern priorities on both the national and international stage.

On May 13, 2013, Canada will be taking over chairmanship of the Arctic Council for a two-year term. The Arctic Council is a consensus-based, high-level intergovernmental forum that works to promote the social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable development in the Arctic region. All eight circumpolar nations sit on the council and receive direct input from the six permanent participant organizations representing the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize three Pages from Yellowknife South: Megan Vu, Benjamin McGregor, Latetia Hammond. I would like to thank them for their good work, and also thank all the Pages that are here today.