Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There's no ongoing delays. That happened because of these vacant positions, but I'll ask through you, Mr. Chair, for the deputy minister to go into more detail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The agricultural strategy has been worked on for some time. I expect it'll be ready sometime this year. It's just going through the rounds of the different departments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

UNDRIP is an important document that recognizes, among other things, the right of Indigenous people to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures, and traditions. In 2008, UNDRIP was endorsed through a motion of our Legislative Assembly. The Government of Canada’s recent adoption of UNDRIP in accordance with Canada's laws and Constitution is an encouraging and tangible demonstration of the federal government's renewed commitment to Canada's Aboriginal people. Currently Canada, through Section 35 of the Constitution, has a very robust framework for the protection of Aboriginal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd be very pleased to respond to it. What I said was that by adding additional carbon taxes that would increase the cost of fuel and energy, it would be a significant addition to the cost of living. I said that there is other ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through expenditures by the Government of the Northwest Territories. We have already decreased our greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 by close to 30 per cent and, as I said, we'll put it, and through consultation we'll hear from the people if that's what they want is a carbon tax to increase the cost of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not aware of what context she's saying that I made that statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize from Yellowknife South, Mr. Jack Bourassa. Thank you.

I'm pleased to say that we have made very good progress in this regard and had the opportunity to meet with all of the Aboriginal governments that still have unsettled land claims and had a number of meetings with the federal government, met a number of times with the grand chief of the Dehcho First Nations. There's another meeting scheduled for this week. I'll also be meeting with the federal Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs. As your Member knows, there's three parties to the negotiations and it's more than just making an offer within a specific period of time. We can do that...

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to work with the federal government and Aboriginal governments to further their promotion and protection of Aboriginal and treaty rights. This includes collaborating and fostering government-to-government relationships with Aboriginal governments as well as negotiating and implementing Aboriginal resource and self-governments that respect, promote, and protect the rights and freedoms of Aboriginal peoples as highlighted in the priorities and ministerial mandates of the 18th Legislative Assembly. The successful conclusion of...

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories received notice from the federal government that the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs would be making an announcement during the United Nation's Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City regarding its position on UNDRA. The Government of the Northwest Territories, like all other jurisdictions, was not made aware of what that announcement would be until the announcement was made by the Minister in New York. Understanding the implications of Canada's recent full endorsement of the United Nations...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. She didn't indicate in what context that it was read, but certainly what I said in Vancouver is that we will be updating or coming up with a new greenhouse gas strategy in the Northwest Territories where we will be consulting all of the people in the Northwest Territories in that regard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.