Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Along with the recognition of a few others that have already been recognized here, I’d like to welcome the chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council, Mr. Frank Pokiak, and Larry and Yvonne Carpenter as well. We have some other folks from the Inuvialuit Game Council; Steven Baryluk, Jennifer Lam and Bruce Hanbidge. As well, I’d like to extend our welcome to the grand chief of the Tlicho and the chiefs as well that have joined us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of this 16th Assembly, our government, and all residents of the Northwest Territories, I offer condolences today to those individuals and families who are mourning the loss of colleagues, friends, relatives, and loved ones as a result of this weekend’s tragic crash of First Air flight 6560 near Resolute Bay.

Despite the vast distances that separate us we, as Northerners, are a tightly knit community and the impact of this tragedy extends well beyond the boundaries of our northern territories to touch us all. Our lives in communities will be forever changed.

Yet...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territories Health Status Report, August 2011. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That’s one of the wonderful things about our consensus style of government: Members are fully aware of the work that’s going on. The Minister updates the committee and he would be able to inform them as to what level of work is going on, and the future Assembly could also make recommendations as this work will have to continue on into the 17th Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On top of the process that we have in place where our corporations table their annual reports and business plans in this Assembly, that’s one method where Members have access and can measure how our corporations have done business. As for the ongoing work around the Financial Administration Act, I will have to speak to the Minister on that work and see what’s been incorporated and the timelines for that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Even as we try to come to terms with the tragedy that unfolded in our territory over the weekend, we were faced this morning by more sad news: the untimely passing of the Honourable Jack Layton, who until his recent leave of absence led Canada’s New Democratic Party and the Official Opposition in our federal Parliament.

Mr. Layton’s political accomplishments, particularly during the most recent federal election, are known and documented for all Canadians. He will be remembered in large part for changing the political landscape of our country, and for his trademark spirit...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of Norman Wells, one, the gas supply has seized our attention. In fact, a number of departments -- Municipal and Community Affairs, Public Works and Services, and our Power Corporation -- are working with the community to deal with the issue that we were all notified that the gas supply would be coming to an end in two years.

The additional pressure that mounted in the spring was the issue of the pipeline, and thereby a reduction in natural gas supply. The community has done their work. They approached us, through the Department of Municipal and Community...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the Finance Minister stated, he’ll get the additional information and provide that to Members. In our budget submission I believe we shared with committee a fair bit of that, but we’ll get the additional information.

More importantly, as was stated earlier by the Finance Minister in an earlier question around implementation, this isn’t the full implementation of working to implement the deal. This is preparation for implementation. The one thing we’ve learned, as the Minister has stated, from the Yukon experience -- and the Member knows this himself from his own work...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Miltenberger has touched on it and I know the Members brought this up in discussions in this Assembly in the past about preparation for taking over the regime itself and the work. As we stated in this House, we’re unable to begin that work until we own the legislation. This money is identified for the preparation up to and including negotiations. Once a final agreement is signed, then we can look at doing that work about making changes as we see fit in the Northwest Territories. This request does not include that style of work of changing a made-in-the-North...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The process used incorporated Aboriginal groups across the Northwest Territories, all Aboriginal groups. We have fulfilled our obligations under claims. We have provided funds. They have been at the table. In fact, the agreement-in-principle, as it sits, has the handprint of Aboriginal groups on it, the majority of Aboriginal groups.

Now, Mr. Krutko has pointed out there are two Aboriginal groups that have signed this. One group has a settled claim and one group doesn’t have a settled claim. So there are differences there between that, but they both saw fit to decide to...