David Krutko

I might as well use up my three minutes, I guess. Again, I think the federal government has an obligation here to the treaty obligations and also the fiduciary obligations with regard to their obligation to protect the rights and interest of the indigenous people and First Nations people of Canada under Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution. They also have the right to consult the existing organizations and also the band councils, the band organizations, ensuring their rights and interests are being protected. That is the issue that has to be resolved somewhere and probably it will end up in...

Thank you, Minister. Does committee agree that that concludes general comments?

Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to comments made by the Premier in regard to his opening remarks, and more importantly, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. Again, I think the whole objective of the Aboriginal Affairs is to bring together our northern partners, especially the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal leadership and work with them to basically include them in our processes as government, not only from the Aboriginal claims perspective but the responsibilities we have as a government and as the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, but I think sometimes we...

Page 4-25, Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, activity summary, information item, intergovernmental relations, active positions.

We are moving on to page 5-21, activity summary, budget, treasury and debt management. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just following up from Mr. Bromley’s questions, I know that I heard the Premier saying that I don’t think he could probably find too many people that wouldn’t suggest that we want devolution or want to take over more power of responsibilities from the federal government, but I think also the question is at what cost. I think that by approaching it the way we did, where we basically had a minority of people signing on and a majority of the Mackenzie Valley being left out, I think that is the issue in regard to how do we include those Aboriginal groups. I think that could...

Mr. Abernethy.

The Member is requesting to go back to page 5-26. Committee agree?

Has the government or the Executive considered dispute mechanisms in regard to arbitration or having an arbitrator come and try to work it out between the parties and try to find a way that they can save face, but at the same time save the Northwest Territories from collapsing politically because of an agreement that has some people on and some people aren’t ready to sign, the other ones are looking at it? So have we considered alternative dispute mechanisms such as the possibility of arbitration or mediation to have someone come in between the parties and have somebody run between the...