Inuvik Boot Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

The role the Executive has played is one of liaison and coordination, but ultimately we’re not going to take over the primary role of a contract that is with, whether it’s Education, whether it is Health and Social Services or Justice or whatever department’s out there. We do, in fact, I think, many organizations are quite familiar with the face and the name of our operations ADM who has been driving much of the work that’s being done and we’ll continue to operate in that manner, and of course, when those issues arise, that we look and work with other departments to see if there are issues...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The area of the regional leaders is not purely about devolution. It is about a number of other matters where there are common issues of discussion ongoing. Devolution was one of those as we got closer to signing and will play a role as we go forward. Clearly that funding that’s identified within this budget is the process of the meetings to go out and do the work.

The Northern Leaders’ Forum piece is that work that’s aside to the Northern Leaders’ Forum as I spoke to earlier around Executive. That table is a side discussion on Creating Our Future Together. We have a...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The hope is at some point it will become a routine part of doing business, but as we endeavour to go down this process of setting up the regional leaders meetings, and that’s what this funding is tied to, it’s contribution to the seven regional groups so that they can take part in this. When we talk about doing these things, the issue of capacity and revenues comes into discussion and this is our way of helping them participate in our ongoing meetings.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, there’s a lot of history. The Member has touched on it, I’ve touched on it, about processes that were established. Yes, the issue of devolution on lands and waters within the Northwest Territories, and these are waters, for example, inland lakes and so on, that are managed today by someone who wears a badge that has a federal government insignia on it; an INAC employee or others in similar areas of responsibility. All we are talking about is drawing that existing authority that is practiced by the federal government who has shown us on a number of occasions and...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

I think the reflection of this Legislative Assembly shows we’re not just like the federal government. I take a point with drawing that comparison. The fact that if you look at the document and you look at the history and you look at the work done on that document, it had the inclusion of Aboriginal governments. The offer is still on the table for them to be a part of the process going forward. We’ve made every offer and in fact continue to make the offer to try to come to an agreement on moving forward with those that have not signed on. The AIP itself allows for the groups to join on at any...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know Members have called on us to establish an additional position to have for dealing directly with non-government organizations. We make a distinction between the volunteer sector as well as the NGOs. We have, in a sense, through the Department of Executive, been taking on the NGO file around the Stabilization Fund and dealing with the non-government organizations. I’ll ask Ms. Ballantyne to make some comments on this.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

The other thing that wasn’t highlighted was the regional Aboriginal leaderships meetings funding and processes held within the Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations and a number of our meetings that we had, especially leading up to the AIP, were funded directly through this shop. When it comes to having groups sign on, I mean, I think a number of them have highlighted their reluctance to sign on for a number of reasons. Some of them are more particular to the negotiations that would have to occur and wanting those dealt with up front, which would be difficult to do, especially...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Mr. Chairman, the question of the work we are involved in, for example, with MACA, we worked with them in preparation of the legislation they put together on the NWT portion.

On the bigger picture, involved with Executive and other departments on the approach to the federal government to see what work they would be doing. Unfortunately, as the Member pointed out, we haven’t had much success in that area. Our role is to work with land departments because they have a direct responsibility with the appropriate federal office and ministry and we help them with the preparation of those meetings as...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Thank you. I can’t speak for future governments in the final decision and the final agreement process, but clearly, as we’ve done the work up to this stage it has been inclusive of all the regions, at least in the designing of the agreement-in-principle. I would say that since, even as observers, they’ve been influencing the language of the agreement-in-principle, as I’ve just responded earlier to a question. We would hope that they would be at the table to help design and impact the language that we would use going forward. Some of those things require bilateral discussions or bilateral...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 47)

Mr. Chairman, that is a chief negotiater position. Thank you.