David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we all know, programs and services are essential to delivering services throughout the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, the reality is a lot of our communities are losing programs and services which are either being cut back or phased out altogether.

Mr. Speaker, I’m talking about the nursing position in Tsiigehtchic where we have a health centre which, again, is not functional because you don’t have a full-time nurse to maintain and operate and provide the essential service.

Again, Mr. Speaker, cutting back at the Joe Greenland Centre in regard to moving it from a...

Again, I think we have to realize as government that we do have some challenges in the Northwest Territories on program services. Again, it’s essential that these services in our communities aren’t clawed back, taken away, or deleted altogether. That’s the frustration of the community of Aklavik.

Joe Greenland Centre has been a level three facility for many years and served many people throughout the Northwest Territories. By simply deleting that program and putting in something that is simply a care program, I’d like to ask the Minister -- I know there’s a lot of people out there asking for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services with regard to my Member’s statement on the delivery of programs and services. In most cases these are essential services, regardless if it’s a nurse or the Joe Greenland Centre care for elders.

I’d like to ask the Minister, there have been petitions filed in this House, there have been motions passed in this House. You realize that some 500 people signed petitions that were tabled in this House requesting that we save the Joe Greenland Centre. I’d like to ask the Minister what the government is...

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 9-16(6), I’d like to ask what the wish of committee is. Mrs. Groenewegen.

There was a letter submitted May 9th to the Premier of the Northwest Territories that recommended some 40 suggestions on the amendment process and things that need to be considered in light of the land claim agreements, the Tlicho land claim, and the whole element of independency of regulatory boards from the political arms of the Government of the Northwest Territories or the federal government. I’d like to know the government’s positions on those amendment areas and have we responded to the letter from Alternatives North, who was working with the Gwich’in Tribal Council, Tlicho Government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Deputy Premier. With regard to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, apparently there’s been a list of prescribed amendments that the federal government would like to meet which has been shared with this government. I’d like to ask the Deputy Premier what the government’s position is when it comes to the amendments, the possibility of having a centralized board and having regional boards which presently are part of the land claims agreements. I’d like to ask the Deputy Premier what position this government is taking when it talks...

Well, again, I have to totally disagree with that from somebody who was at the negotiating table when the Northern Accord was being negotiated, in which the Dene-Metis were guaranteed that they will be able to negotiate a Northern Accord agreement throughout the Mackenzie Valley and they would take ownership of the royalties and resources throughout the Mackenzie Valley under the Dene-Metis claim. That is what was agreed to. That is what was committed to the Dene-Metis people during those negotiations. Nowhere was the GNWT going to be there to pillage the Dene-Metis lands at the 11th hour with...

Mr. Chair, again, we’re spending $2.8 million for a negotiating process that’s not fair, it’s not inclusive, but more importantly, it will have a long-term political effect on people in the Northwest Territories and especially those areas, those groups that have not signed on. I’d like to know again from this government exactly what are we going to do to ensure that those groups have land claims or land claim settlement areas be excluded from this process.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to the devolution process, what happens if an Aboriginal group does not want the devolution negotiations to apply to their settlement regions? In regard to the Gwich’in, or the Sahtu, or the Tlicho, make the unilateral decision at an assembly this summer saying that devolution negotiations will not apply to their settlement regions and you only negotiate the devolution agreements in those areas that the individuals that signed on have to negotiate for those resources in those settlement regions, the Inuvialuit or wherever the Metis settlement region is. I’d like...

Again, Mr. Chair, I have to disagree with that notion. I believe that this is a land grab by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Inuvialuit and the Metis for lands throughout the Northwest Territories on the backs of Dene people and Dene treaties and land claim agreements that clearly stipulate that there are settlement regions in the Northwest Territories. There are regions in the Northwest Territories which are clearly defined in regards to maps, Treaty 8, Treaty 11, which have our historical treaties. But yet, as a government, we seem to be railroading ourselves into a...