Floyd Roland

The caribou question was a reference question and, in fact, the Minister of Justice has that authority to apply and put before the courts a reference question. It was that question and discussions with northern leaders that agreed to pull that back so that we could work out our own solution. I believe I had a commitment that we would work it out at our next regional leaders meeting and, unfortunately, that did not occur. We did finally have a deal worked out in the southern part of the Territory, but there is much more work to go in and I think as claims get settled that will help us in that...

Again, I guess I would draw back on even the Member’s own history as a negotiator. A framework agreement, there is no process for arbitration. When you negotiate a final deal, you do build into those final deals a process of dispute resolution, arbitration processes like what’s established in the land claims and self-governments. Setting paramouncy for legislation and so on. I think we’ve already begun to reach out to try to come to a place where we want to draw back the groups, and as I pointed out in response to a question earlier, that with response to the letter we’ve sent out we can begin...

In fact I think that’s the gist of the work that we did was to identify the shortfall that was there, we feel is there. I think the example that we would look to, and as much as Premier Fentie of the Yukon might disagree with me, I would say when you look at that agreement it’s a great agreement but it’s unimplementable. They’ve implemented some areas but not all. If you talk to the Tlicho Government they are in the process where they haven’t drawn any authorities down. They have their governing structure and they’re realizing the cost of doing that. They’re not drawing that down. I think in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will put it out there for now and will follow up with the paper. In the directorate side under total affirmative action: 67 percent non-indigenous; 33 percent, obviously. Again, this directorate is three positions. Department-wide we might as well deal with that now seeing as the question has come up. Total department of 69 positions. We have affirmative action of 62 percent. Of those, 26 are Aboriginal, 36 are indigenous non-Aboriginal. And the work, senior management, a total of 12 positions, 3 female, 9 male. We will follow up in writing. Thank you.

Previous governments used to have in place political accords that were time sensitive, I guess one could say, and could be renewed or avenues selected. Our process has been the northern leaders. We don’t have any additional budgets for protocols. Departments themselves could look at internal resources. For example, the MOUs that are in place have one been decided by the Government of the Northwest Territories of the day and we continue to honour those going forward based on economic activity and that work.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The allocation is for the regional government meetings. We identify three meetings per year. We used to identify four but found the preparation between meetings and the scheduling to be difficult. So we cut it back down to three. The contributions here are to take part in those three meetings annually. As much as the agenda is set by all parties, it could clearly be an item that we have ongoing discussions around the devolution AIP issue. That aside, as I said through Executive earlier today, we would have to come back to this House for additional funding to deal with...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The overall increase of the Department of Executive incorporates a number of the strategic initiatives that we’ve discussed through the life of this Assembly and also includes the compensation portion, the compensation benefits portion of the budget and that is why it goes over the target amount.

The areas of the NGOs and volunteers, we are doing work in those areas and we will be prepared to speak to them as we go through the detail of the budget.

On the agreement-in-principle, devolution, the comments I made in my opening remarks about funding and having to go forward...

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Out of all of our employees, total of affirmative action is 41. So 62 percent of Executive, 43 percent is government overall. So we’re doing better in that area. Now, affirmative action includes Aboriginal, and P1, P2 is a traditional title that’s been given. Aboriginal people is 26 percent and indigenous non-Aboriginal, 36 percent. For total female in senior management we have 12 positions. We have three female, nine male. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. To my left is Penny Ballantyne, Cabinet secretary, and to my right is Dave Stewart with the Department of Executive.