Bob McLeod

Right now in our discussions with the Aboriginal governments we’ve had a wide spectrum of points of view as to how we could proceed or try to find common ground on devolution. My expectation is that sometime soon, before we have a follow-up meeting to Detah, that we would be putting forward some government position as to how we can try to find a way forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Scott Messenger from my alma mater, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Members of this Assembly set out a vision of strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. Strengthening and diversifying our economy is one of the ways we can help to realize that vision, and Members noted the need for strategic infrastructure investments and for support in the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline as part of this.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has long supported the Mackenzie Gas Project. In 2004 Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly passed a...

That is our intention. Most of the leaders have indicated that before we have a follow-up session, that we have something tangible that we can discuss. At least one of them has said they weren’t prepared to share their ideas; they prefer to wait and see what the government was proposing. So with regard to some sort of agreement, I guess we see it as something that we could do through Section 6. That offer has always been there where we could work out an arrangement through that section. We’d be quite prepared to pursue that angle as well.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we started out in this Caucus reaching out to Aboriginal governments to develop a better working relationship in order to find common ground on a number of issues including devolution, we are still engaged in that process and looking to have another follow-up meeting to Detah sometime early in the new year.

With regard to actual devolution negotiations, the Government of Canada just recently announced or appointed a new federal negotiator for devolution and we’re in the process of feeling him out. I think there are some official meetings that will be happening...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize the good work being done by the Pages here. Also, specifically, two Pages from Yellowknife South: Emma Tutton and Ethan Phypers. They’re from Yellowknife South and I want to thank them.

I also want to take this opportunity to wish a merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all the Members here, all the constituents of Yellowknife South and all the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The advisory committee that we’re referring to is made up of four people and it advised us in the early stages. The discussion paper that has been drafted looked at what is currently being done, what some of the findings are with regard to the discussion that we held with Northerners, and ways to improve the well-being and self-reliance of Northwest Territories residents and gaps and areas for improvement, amongst other things. We will review the progress on the draft strategy, and at some point in the very near future we’ll be going to standing committee to provide an...

I should clarify, it appears the honourable Member misunderstood me when I said the report that I was referring to was based on What We Heard. We subsequently have developed a broad discussion paper. So there are two separate papers. Secondly, we are looking at an NWT-wide strategy and the advisory group on poverty that has been advising us has people from across the Territories that are advising us.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The report that was prepared was called “What We Heard” from Northerners About Poverty and this report was provided to Standing Committee on Social Programs in August 2011.

We will be meeting with the Anti-Poverty Coalition, I believe it’s called, on January 19th. We are working on a draft strategy that will build on the priorities of the 17th Assembly. It’s my expectation that we would have something by the middle of 2012. Thank you.