Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would love to make that commitment, but I don't think it would be fair to EIA to make that commitment yet. I think this issue is going to be very, very tenuous at the Council of Leaders' table. I don't know if it's going to be resolved in one month, one year, ten years. So I can't commit EIA to doing that because it may if it's in this government, then I'll be looking at it. If it's in the next government, I can't commit the next government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I do appreciate the Member recognizing that it is not an easy issue. It's contentious not only within our definitions of how we define it but also contentious within Indigenous governments. We have some Indigenous governments that feel that they can put cabins anywhere in the NWT. We have other Indigenous governments saying not on my land. Those are issues that are alive and well. So I'm not going to commit in the House here about the solution. What I am committed to, and I've already brought that to the Council of Leaders, is that is a discussion that will go to the...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The health minister would like that deferred to her. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Having a concluded modern treaty is not required to join devolution or the Intergovernmental Council. However, though, having a finalized agreement does answer questions within their agreement surrounding land management and authority. So we're optimistic, and we're really glad that the Deh Cho is back to the negotiations table, and we're hopeful that their negotiations will advance quickly. But as I said earlier, Madam Speaker, all work at the Intergovernmental Council consults with all Indigenous governments, whether they're at the table or not, on areas that may be...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So I believe that the Member is talking about the Intergovernmental Council, about the land and resources legislation. That is done, like you said, through devolution at the Intergovernmental Council table. For those governments that aren't part of that table, they're always welcome to joint that table but if they're not part of it, then there still is a consultation process that happens if the land and resources is in their areas, and they're still invited to sit on working groups to provide support for those legislative initiatives going forward. Thank you, Madam...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So thank you for the clarification. I was kind of wondering what the line of questioning was going to be. So no, the Arctic Council has not met in the last two years because of Russia being the chair and the geopolitical issues that are going on right now around that. But the Member is correct, it's important that things are happening in the Arctic, and so it's important that we do take as many opportunities as possible to be able to discuss issues that affect the Arctic. So I know that Ministers have gone and officials have gone to COP. I also know that in the last...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So Canada, the federal government at this point is the representative on the Arctic Circle or the Arctic Council, sorry. The Northwest Territories does go as part of the Canadian delegation, and we do sit on working groups as appropriate for the Northwest Territories. But the Arctic Council has not met for the last two years. Russia was the chair from May 2021 to May 2023, which is coming up. My understanding is that Norway will be the next chair and hopefully there will be some movements once Norway takes over the chair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually we do try to I'm not sure if all the time but try to get better at it. But I do know that at the Arctic Council actually that we just attended, we did let the Members know on the other side. They sent a Member to attend with us. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, the Northwest Territories doesn't actually have a seat at that table. It's the federal government that does. We sit on working groups. We go as part of the Canadian delegation but we're not actually the direct member for that. I am assuming that once Norway takes over the chair that meetings will start again. However, I'm kind of wondering where the Member is going with this and I think it is around geopolitical things that are happening. And so I do want to stress that the Ottawa declaration explicitly excludes discussions of military security at the Arctic...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm also pleased to recognize a couple of visitors joining us in the gallery today. The honourable Senator from Nunavut and former government leader and chairman of the Executive Council, Mr. Dennis Patterson. And the director of parliamentary affairs for Senator Patterson's office, Claudine Santos. Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to recognize all of the patient advocates, but Faith Woodruff I'd like to recognize as a former colleague in the NGO world and a personal friend of my own. Really glad to see you in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.