Bob McLeod

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome chief medical officers from across Canada who are meeting in Yellowknife this week for the annual meeting of the Provincial Territorial Medical Advisors. We are in good hands here today.

Those joining us here today include Dr. Stephanie Starks, Yukon Health and Social Services; Dr. Ray Dkystra, BC Ministry of Health; Dr. Cliff Fabian, BC Ministry of Health; Dr. Neil Hagen, Alberta Health; Dr. Jude Coutinho, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care; Dr. Bruno Rainville, Regie de l'assurance maladie du Quebec; Dr. Anne Tweed, Nova Scotia Department of...

I have said that the Government of the Northwest Territories views any First Nation that is involved in Aboriginal land claims or in self-government negotiations as an Aboriginal government, so it falls under that definition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have engaged the federal government to try to determine what their future vision is for their fiscal relationships with Aboriginal governments, and we have not been successful. I, myself, have written twice to the chair of the federal working group of Ministers on the review of laws and policies related to Indigenous people, offering to make a presentation about how we have an integrated system of health and education and to try to determine what their future plans are, but we have not undertaken any analysis with Canada about financing designated authorities funded by the federal...

Mr. Speaker, all 19 Members of the Legislative Assembly were given a mandate by the people of the Northwest Territories to represent their best interests. We walk into this building every day to represent the people who look to us to take action on the issues that are important to them and to ensure that we move our territory forward for future generations to a better chance at success and for our communities to be healthier and more vibrant. It is a humbling responsibility and one I know we all take very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, consensus government is built on a foundation of working together...

We have always said that the Northwest Territories has been the most affected by climate change. All you have to do is look at the Beaufort Sea, where for decades the Beaufort Sea was ice-free for five weeks a year and now it is ice-free for about 20 weeks a year. Consequently, it has very significant effects on coastal erosion. We are prepared to do our part in the Northwest Territories to combat climate change, and also we will be releasing new strategies so that our government's efforts to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions will continue, and also we will work very hard to reduce our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all my discussions, I view a sustainable community in the 21st century as a community where its residents are physically and mentally healthy; are actively participating in the community, territorial, and national economies and expect to do so for the foreseeable future. The natural environment is also healthy and provides the foundation for economic, social, and cultural well-being. A sustainable community in the Northwest Territories is a community that is resilient and adaptable to climate change. We would like to see all of our 33 communities be healthy...

The Government of the Northwest Territories views any First Nations, Metis, or Inuit communities that have completed or are currently in or about to start Aboriginal land claim and/or self-government negotiations as an Aboriginal government.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has not formally engaged with Canada about changing the way First Nations are funded in the Northwest Territories, nor about how such changes would be reflected in the negotiations taking place under the Dehcho process. However, I can state that Canada, through its federal working group of Ministers on the review of laws and policies related to Indigenous people, did release 10 principles that Canada will be using to guide the relationships with Indigenous governments, and one of the principles talks about review of the fiscal...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 (Revised)." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our government will continue to work with Regular Members through the legislative business planning and budget processes to continue to make progress on the implementing of the mandate that has been approved by the 18th Legislative Assembly. I truly believe that, by fully implementing the mandate, this Legislative Assembly will have made significant progress by making all communities sustainable over the longer term.