David Krutko

I will now rise and report progress.

Before I do that I would just like to thank the Members of the Legislative Assembly for giving me the opportunity to serve as your Deputy Speaker for the last four years. It’s been an honour and privilege, and I wish you all the best in wherever life takes you. Thanks again.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table the famous wildlife ordinance of 1978, better known as the Wildlife Act.

---Laughter

Thank you. Again, I’d like to thank the Premier for that. I know that we can’t sort of impose on the new government, but I think we can strongly suggest or recommend that they seriously consider this as being one of their priorities. So I’d like to ask the Premier, is that something that the government can suggest that they seriously consider this as a top priority of this government to the next government.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Premier. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and the importance of dealing with poverty in the North, but more importantly, getting the government to move on an Anti-Poverty Strategy and implementing the strategy and not just look at doing another study.

I’d like to ask the Premier, as the transitional process takes fold, where in the list of items being transferred to the new government and part of the transitional document is the poverty situation in the Northwest Territories. I think it has to be on top of the list. So I’d like to...

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 9, Wildlife Act, and Committee Report 7-16(6), Report on the Review of Bill 9, Wildlife Act, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have Bill 9, Wildlife Act, and Committee Report 7-16(6), Report on the Review of Bill 9, Wildlife Act. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

How does the Premier explain the lack of Dene participation in the Devolution Agreement-in-Principle with the federal government?

What is the Premier doing to advance talks on devolution with the Gwich’in and other Dene organizations that are currently outside the process?

In what areas is the government willing to push for an improved devolution package that would satisfy the concerns of Dene governments?

What will the Premier do to ensure that the Government of the Northwest Territories meets its obligations as set out in land claim agreements and ongoing negotiations...

Thank you. I think it’s more important to find a way to implement our strategy than simply doing strategies, and I think it’s important that we do emphasise the importance of this work, and more importantly, implement it, put it into action and find ways to pull people out of poverty and turn the Northwest Territories economy around. So I’d like to ask the Premier are there any types of investments that are also going to be suggested on where we can find resources to either implement or give the new government an idea of things that they can do to implement this strategy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We hear a lot about the riches of the Northwest Territories by way of our resources, but we are poor by way of the people that live in poverty in the Northwest Territories.

The social and economic standards of people throughout the Northwest Territories, regardless if it’s native people who live in the North with an average income of $18,000 or people in the North who are having health issues because of their diabetes or liver disease or ailments by way of poor health care or the lack of health care services in a lot of our communities. The challenges we have by mental...

I believe the concern that the Dene have is the way the approach has been taking place, in which I quoted the comment made by the Premier in the Globe and Mail where he stated that he worries he may have been too heavy-handed in ramming it through. I believe you were heavy-handed and you continue to be heavy-handed by not trying to find a workable solution to get these parties involved in the process, but more importantly, how they’re going to be affected through these negotiations and not being party to those talks. I’d like to ask the Premier what you meant that you have been too heavy...