Inuvik Boot Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

I must say that it’s rare that a Minister has a chance and an opportunity to stump a Member...(inaudible)...questions. Maybe it’s just the seniors' questions about funding that we all face on a day-to-day basis.

The issue of funding and the forced growth nature is, as I was saying, some of the earlier work we did in the 16th Assembly as Members raised the issue around funding stabilization and previous Assemblies, was the third-party accountability framework that we worked on to identify areas of accountability and dealing with some of those forced-growth pressures. In some categories there was...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

In the recommendations that have been laid out, that would have to occur within the life of the next government as our processes and budget have been passed. Changes in that pattern and the way of doing business would need to be carried on through the transition work. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

The process we have used has been open. It has been inviting to ask the groups to be a part of this. The two groups that are involved in this have signed the agreement-in-principle, and by signing that agreement-in-principle have taken their spot at the table. The table and chairs are waiting for the other groups to sign up to come in and affect those discussions.

Again, the door is open, the invite is there, and resources would be made available. In fact, this Assembly discussed the resources we require within Executive to help them in preparations for negotiations. So we’ve made offers, both...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

On a couple of items that the Member has mentioned, he would be familiar since he was one of the negotiators both at the Gwich’in table and the Sahtu table that looked at that one-third ownership of the federal government in the Norman Wells oilfield. In fact, it was the Sahtu that agreed with an out-of-court settlement on that one-third ownership that has sort of set the stage for us.

We have continued, even in the initial discussions around Norman Wells, that that should be a part of the package. We continue to push that forward and would do so during the negotiations phase.

As for the 5...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

The process that we’ve engaged in, and will continue to engage in, in bringing partners to the table is one where we’ve communicated prior to the signing of the AIP of a process. We looked at establishing a protocol; unfortunately, that wasn’t successful.

Since the signing of the AIP, we’ve informed and keep all groups informed of the work we are about to do. Hopefully in the near future we’ll send another letter to all of the leadership explaining the work we’ve done setting up a work plan, and continue to urge them to come back to the table for more discussions and signing of the agreement-in...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The status at this point, although delayed by the federal election, there has been no formal negotiations. We have been working with the parties, northern parties that have signed the AIP, on a work plan. So that is where we are at this point. We expect that over the summer, negotiations may begin on initial pieces being put on the table, but we’ll have to wait to see with the appointment of a federal Minister how they will re-engage on this file. Thank you.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The time has come again where representatives from Statistics Canada have fanned out across the Northwest Territories to complete the national census.

The Government of Canada is required to conduct a census of the population every five years. Historically, the census has been composed of two mandatory parts. The “short form” questionnaire which includes questions on a number of people in the dwelling, their age and gender, and information on languages, and the “long form” questionnaire which looked at more detailed subject areas such as Aboriginal identity, education...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 9)

We started our work early in the life of this Assembly with issues around stabilizing funds to NGOs and we categorized a number of groups that would fit into core programs that we deliver, that made sense as to looking at some growth in expenditures in those areas, and some adjustments were made. As we review the work that’s done in our contracts, some of the things we have to look at is the use of those programs and increase in forced growth as we would categorize it is how that might fit into our business planning cycle. It is, in a sense, by department and by area of responsibility and...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. NWT residents have long heard about the potential of their territory. Of a future filled with opportunities and choices that could be realized thanks to the rich and varied wealth of resources that lie within our geographic boundaries.

We are a region that continues to be in the spotlight of the international stage and at the forefront of many discussions and debates.

I have just returned from ministerial meetings of the Arctic Council in Nuuk, Greenland. The meetings were attended by Foreign Affairs and other senior Ministers from each of the eight circumpolar nations.

T...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 8)

All governments that I’ve been a part of, I know the Member as well, Members of this Assembly, we are all going to be challenged in every business plan cycle we go through with the fiscal restraints that we are faced with. The decisions that need to be made on key priority areas, how do we achieve them are going to always be debates as we go forward.

I will say, though, as we look at some of those questions that were asked of us, the Program Review Office has been involved with issues like medical travel, pupil-teacher ratio, inclusive school funding, telecommunications, harvester support...