David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard the Minister mention that we don’t have an obligation under the land claim agreements. I believe we do, as someone who negotiated that agreement. There’s an economic measure which clearly identifies governments as an identity where they have to include aboriginal groups looking at the economic policies and procedures of this government and, more importantly, ensuring that we have access to economic opportunities. So I’d like to ask the Minister, are you open to going to the negotiating table and look at the land claim obligations in light of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the evaluation of the MOU, they’re looking at five general areas. One is looking at meeting the MOU poses obligations. Two was meeting the MOU targets. Three is building Gwich’in business capacity. Four, providing benefits to Gwich’in beneficiaries. Five, meeting stakeholders’ expectations. I’d just like to ask the Minister, is it possible that we also include a sixth item to look at the recommendations by the Auditor General of Canada to see what are we doing as government to meet obligations under those land claims in light of the Auditor...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is in regard to, from my understanding, an agreement that is in place between this government and the Gwich’in Tribal Council and a similar agreement in the Sahtu. Mr. Speaker, there was a meeting over a week and a half ago in regard to the review of the MOU between this government and the Gwich’in Tribal Council’s community leaders and business community. But yet, Mr. Speaker, there was very poor attendance by Ministers on the opposite side, deputy ministers and, more importantly, sending no senior staff to partake in those...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also thank the Minister for continuing to look into this matter, but I believe it’s severe enough, I hate to call for a public inquiry into this, but I think it does include other agencies: the Department of Health, Justice, and also in regard to the RCMP. So I think it’s important that we do it right, we look at this. So I’d like to ask the Minister if he could also include the Minister of Health in regards to the health side of this situation where it included the health centre in Fort McPherson. So I’d like to ask the Minister if he could...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the military side, the Beaufort has played a role in regard to the DEW Line sites, the Inuvik army presence that they had during the 1970s and into the 1980s. I would like to ask the Premier, have we looked at the possibility of a military presence in the Arctic and where they are going to be located? I know there have been a lot of announcements in the Eastern Arctic but very little on the western side. So I would like to ask the Premier, has he also had discussions on military presence in the Arctic and where they are going to be located...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that by building a road to the Beaufort Sea is one way that we, as Canada, can show that we do have control of sea to sea to sea, which includes all the portions around Canada, but also developing an Arctic institute by way of either the Inuvik region or…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot in regards to the Prime Minister’s announcement in regards to the Throne speech in regards to Arctic sovereignty and also looking at more military presence dealing with the many challenges seen by way of ships travelling back and forth. But yet, Mr. Speaker, we have heard very little on behalf of this government on exactly where we stand in regards to Arctic sovereignty, and yet, Mr. Speaker, the Arctic is our home, it is our territory, but yet we have not really responded on it. Mr. Speaker, the residents of Aklavik travel back and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the Premier’s commitment, I do believe, as a government, we have the unique programs out there. We have developed them over the years. But I think it is the lack of real adequate resources that are in those programs that really make them work. I think I mentioned the community access program. It is a good idea. It is a good initiative, but it is limited on the amount of resources that is in it. As a government, I think we should look at programs that do work and put more resources into them and make them accessible to all communities...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. It is in regards to the infrastructure needs in our communities. I am not making it sound like there is no need in the community of Aklavik. I know with the flood a couple of years ago, that we expended over $2 million hauling crushed gravel from Inuvik to Aklavik by barge. But yet, Mr. Speaker, there is a gravel source 15 kilometres from the community by way of Willow River. I think, as a government, that we do have a program called the community access road program, but it is very limited on really doing anything...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is there a possibility of this government meeting again with the Gwich’in Tribal Council on the MOU prior to the expiry date, which is March 31st, to look at seeing exactly what the contents of the new agreement is going to look like, but, more importantly, ensuring they also are able to implement the agreements by way of the Auditor General report and other federal reports that have identified problems, especially in the implementation of land claim agreements?