Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we know, the Sahtu has been explored historically for oil and gas but it also was one of the earlier regions where mining first occurred and now we see the need to diversify into mining from oil and gas in the Sahtu. We know there's some significant interest in mining and there's also significant potential, and we are looking at developing regional mining strategies in every region in the Northwest Territories, so certainly we'd be prepared to consider a mining conference in the region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll commit to doing that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The four positions are all vacant, some of them since 2013. There is one vacant since 2010, another one vacant since 2014. All the positions will be vacant when this comes into effect. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Computers, iPads, cellphones. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's where we put the $200,000 that we've identified for those new collaborative processes for negotiations that the Members identified we would need additional resources in order to accomplish. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I believe we're doing that for NWT boards and for those board appointments that fall under our purview.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is certainly one of the important areas I will be discussing next week as well at the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group, how we will advance the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Certainly, the Northwest Territories play a very large role and a leadership role in that regard. I think it's very important to continue that important work, so we will have the discussion with all of the colleagues, and especially the Government of Canada who will also have a very strong leadership role in that regard. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Public Utilities Board applied the Cabinet-approved principles to a February 2016 decision regarding Northland Utilities 2014-2015 Phase II General Rate Application. The PUB is developing a clear publicly-accessible set of guidelines on net metering. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The largest part is because of the fact that devolution has come and was implemented. The amount of money that was spent in that area was no longer required. The contract services of $421,000 is for the normal activities of the Department of Executive. Through you, Mr. Chair, I will ask the deputy minister to provide that detail through Ms. Turner. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We've undertaken a number of initiatives. One is we're looking at a new collaborative way of negotiating these long, outstanding land claims. We'd be prepared to discuss that. I believe we've offered a briefing to the standing committee to discuss that. The mandates, there were at least three mandates that we think were part of the log jam. One was the requirement for consistency, the other one was to use population numbers from the failed Dene-Metis comprehensive land claim, and also the “me too mandate,” if I could call it that. Those were the three principal mandates...