Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, yes, we're working very closely with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. The moratorium, the discussions, the offshore accord, the sciencebased review, were to be done in partnership with the Yukon government, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and the governments of the Northwest Territories, with Canada of course. Since that time, though, we've also got engagement from the premier of Nunavut who is also interested in the work that's happening. So we are working together, all of us, to make sure that the interests of the North will be protected because when the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think he's going to get lots of recognition, but I'd also like to recognize president Erutse and the Yamoga Land Corporation. It's only by working together as governments that we will provide the best services to residents of the Northwest Territories. So welcome to the gallery.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say yes as much as I can, but I do have to say no on some things in here.

I agree. My understanding is that greenhouse gas emissions from the NWT are 0.02 percent, yet we're feeling the effects four times as the rest of the world. So that's not okay.

I do know that we brought up that discussion many times to the federal government. I will say that we will go again. We are going right after session, and we will bring it up again. Mr. Speaker, I don't like to say no, but I have to say no. I cannot promise to stay in the current prime, minister's office until I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason I don't answer every question is because otherwise I wouldn't need to have so many Ministers, Mr. Speaker. But in seriousness, Mr. Speaker, this is a huge issue for the residents of the NWT. It's always been really expensive to live here and with what's going on postCOVID, I mean it's even more so. I have given direction to all Ministers to look within their programs and see what they can do. I didn't give specific direction that said "freeze increases." What my direction was is to look and to see if there's anything that they can do within their departments...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am sure hopeful to be able to get two signed by the end of this government. The MLA did refer to the last one was signed in 2015. I do need to remind MLAs that although they're signed that day, it doesn't usually take some of these are 20, 30 years of process to actually get these defined. There's three parties to the table, and I'm doing our part. Some of the things that the Indigenous governments said was we don't like the core principles and objectives. We took it out, this government. Some of them said we don't know what your negotiated mandates is. We...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was looking back on the mandate actually, and we're not that behind actually. It said September or summer 2020; it's in the mandate, however we had two years of COVID so I'm actually feeling pretty good about this one.

I'm hoping that the Member did get an update from the because the MLA is a Member of the special committee on reconciliation, and so I'm hoping that he got an update from the September meeting that just happened. At that meeting, we were really close to signing an MOU on the action plan for the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous People. There was...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This isn't a joking matter; this is pretty serious. It is a concern that we want all residents to make sure that they make it through the winter. We're doing our part. I know that Cabinet is working on the government renewal that makes sure that we're looking at all of our programs, department by department, to make sure the programs we're providing are still applicable. That work may result in some change of programs. We know we're trying to address the issues as much as possible, like I said, with the home heating fuel is one thing.

Mr. Speaker, any resident who cannot...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The conversations with the federal government, I mention their name as well because I think the Member's right, every time we mention their name somebody pays attention and I do think that those conversations need to be ongoing, not only in this government here but carrying on. We've experience some of the most highest cost of living in Canada, and I have constantly told the federal Ministers that we deserve to have the same standard of living as every other Canadian. I'll continue that message as far as we go on.

As for specific on the carbon tax that Minister Wawzonek...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I won't in the public House name the ones that I think we're close on. We are close on some. I would give a briefing to standing committee if that is decided by the appropriate standing committee. The problem is is that I think we're one step forward and then something happens, and we're two steps back. So because of that I can't say it publicly. But I'd be more than willing to give a briefing in confidence to the appropriate standing committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the clarification from the Member.

The memorandum of understanding with the Indigenous governments is around development of a plan to get us to the legislation of whatever that will look like. My commitment is as soon as that is signed, and I'm hoping that'll be actually within this session; I've been pushing as much as I can, still being respectful. As soon as that is provided or signed by all the Indigenous governments, I will provide an update to the appropriate standing committee at that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.