Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad the MLA's hopeful. I'm hopeful. We've got an extra month, but I'll see. If not in this government, early in the next government. We have a couple that are on the really close. One final selfgovernment agreement is out for section 35 consultation, the Norman Wells agreement. Pending the outcome of that consultation, it could move to the ratification process. I'm hopeful that that'll be probably the soonest one. One reconciliation progress agreement is out for section 35 consultation, the K'atlodeeche First Nation. Pending the outcome of that consultation, it...

I will pass that question to Mr. Goldney. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to pass it to Martin Goldney.

Within this bill, I mean, like the Member pointed out that they were given notice or advice if there's a shared agreement that's to be signed.

Madam Chair, I'd like to say that within a lot of the acts in the Northwest Territories, they don't define the roles of Members that I can point out. I may be wrong. If that's wrong, then please correct me. But I don't think that's the role of acts. The acts defines what shall happen and then the roles of Regular Members are in our legislative protocol that we all adhere before a bill gets passed in the House. They have a chance for questions and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my right, I have Mr. Martin Goldney, the deputy minister of executive and Indigenous affairs. On my left is AnneMarie Guedon, the manager of Indigenous affairs. And, in fact, on the right behind me is Christina Duffy who is the legislative drafter. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I'll start by saying I'm really glad that Ministers, including myself, are working with standing committee. That's what the goal is.

But I agree with the Member that the Government of the Northwest Territories is the public government and must remain accountable to the public. I commend the Member's commitment to accountability. That is why in our consensus government system, MLAs have significant authority when it comes to ministerial accountability. This will not change as a result of the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Peoples Implementation. MLAs elect...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to introduce Bill 85, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act.

This bill represents an important step forward in advancing one of the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly tabled in October 2019 which directed this government to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The drafting of this legislation has been done with Indigenous governments in a way that respects their diverse needs and priorities. This is consistent with the requirements on the GNWT set out in the United...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, as I stated, the MLA has pointed out that I am not good at communicating with standing committee. I guess I'll take ownership. I was in the last Cabinet. I thought the same MLA had said that we were better than the last Cabinet, but perhaps not, and did state that the next government has to do better. I do believe, Madam Chair, that we all have to work at being better all the time. So I do think that's a process.

But I also think, Madam Chair, the Member has many times stated about consensus government. Consensus government is not about just getting your way...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the commitments for the by the end of this government would be that the integrated case management workers would be housed within the Executive and Indigenous Affairs. We were working on the job descriptions, the evaluations, etcetera, just before the evacuation happened. I believe that process, if it's not finished already, will be close to. And I'll make a point of making sure that it's done before I leave. And so before the end of this government, the job descriptions, the people that will be hired, that integrated case management team will be located in the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate committee's careful consideration of the bill and that there is a strong interest in the future work of the action plan committee to be established. The action plan committee will have important work to do that will further guide the implementation of the United Nations Declaration for Indigenous People. It will help ensure that our laws and policies align with the principles of the declaration. This is a key feature to this legislation and the two other examples from Canada like it.

The action plan committee does not change the fundamental roles of Cabinet...