Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to clarify that they were not cut. They were transferred to shared services, and all four positions were staffed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There was some previous direction with regard to rate rebalancing, which adds significant negative impacts on rate payers in some of the communities, so it was felt that it was in the best interest of all to lighten the impact. Certainly, if committee feels we should look at getting rid of the PUB, if we get that recommendation from committee, we will look at it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is a federal government legal opinion, and they do not normally share their legal opinions with us, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is no plan to change the Public Utilities Board. What the Member is referring to is what the Public Utilities Board is doing its job. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The federal government had done their own strength of claim previously with the North Slave Metis Alliance, and the courts, the direction they gave us was to do a strength of claim with regards to hunting, Aboriginal hunting. We have done so on that basis. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Minister provides policy direction to the Public Utilities Board. We provide administrative services, so we handle the contracts and whatever pay that the board and board members are entitled to. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Yes, we have funds set aside to make sure that the Deline implementation proceeds and is successful. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair, and I do not think I will use the whole 10 minutes, but I can respond by saying that I am very pleased with the progress that we are making with regard to negotiation of land claims and self-government agreements. In almost every instance we are making significant progress, and I expect that, by that end of the 18th Legislative Assembly, we will have significantly advanced every land claim and every self-government to the point where they are almost all concluded, and I look forward to that.

With regard to self-government, the second self-government agreement and the...

That is correct, Mr. Chair.

I am very much looking forward to the proposal. I am not exactly clear whether this is a private sector initiative or it is something for government. At any rate, we have a team of people from the Departments of ENR and Public Works working on public engagement and the development of strategies that align with our longterm objectives. These teams include senior officials of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has a responsibility to lead the development of an energy strategy and a climate change framework, and that is what we intend to do. We...