Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m aware that at the Dene leadership meetings the topic of constitutional reform has come up. I’ve had discussions with the Dene National chief on the issue and I asked or he had requested that we look at trying to establish a joint process and that we undertake approaching the federal government to see if they would be party to that. I told him that we should be looking at what opportunities we have available working together in the Northwest Territories and be prepared to bring that to Members to have further discussion on.

It is one of the things that’s always been, I guess at some stage, a point of contention for Members when they consider running for a Cabinet position. It does impact your ability to speak freely about your constituency issues. That doesn’t limit the debate that happens at the Cabinet table about initiatives, but the simple fact that the process we’re involved in right now is fundamental in the existing framework and establishment we operate in. If we want to change that I think it is so fundamental that if we want to change that structure, then we should really be talking about an overall...

At the regional leadership meeting held with aboriginal leaders in Fort Simpson this issue came up. I, at that point, said if they are interested in submitting a proposal we would have a look at that as well.

The process we operate under is one that has been existing for quite a number of years. In fact, many of the aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories and aboriginal people say that this style is not representative of the people that live here in the North and that we should take a look at it. In fact, a number of processes were undergone. The 13th Assembly started some work; I believe it started in the 12th Assembly and went on into the 13th Assembly. In fact, I have recently spoken with the Dene national chief, Bill Erasmus, about looking at a process that would look at the...

Mr. Speaker, just to make Members aware of the situation, Northland Utilities is a subsidiary of ATCO company. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as I did a statement in this House just the other day about some of the decisions we have to make as Members of the Legislative Assembly, some of those will require some debate and making some tough decisions in the overall interest of the whole of the Northwest Territories. That’s the type of information we’re trying to get so we can sit down and look at that. Unfortunately, when we do go out through a process and make the public aware that we are doing a review or investigating an initiative or, as the Members have pointed out, a couple of the other ones that have gone out...

The process we’re involved in exists within the framework we operate under. The NWT Act, our relationship with the federal government, this would not establish, it’s not the work of a constitutional process. It is within the existing framework that we have. If we’re going to enter into that area I think we do, as Members have stated, need to get to the table, have a discussion, work with the aboriginal leadership across the North, and see if we can come forward with a common process and understanding and who would take part, to what level, where the funds would come from, so on and so forth...

Mr. Speaker, the fact that the issue over the cost of living has been raised right from the start of this government, that we need to do something. We need to try to find ways to stabilize the cost of living in the Northwest Territories and lower it if at all possible, the theme day here, the Association of Communities making recommendations to this Assembly and to the Minister responsible to have a look at this. This is not just a fly-by-night look at something. This issue is a real one that we have to look at. It so happens that this initiative has come forward and we want to take a serious...

As I said earlier, before any decision is made, before any discussion happens we’ll have to sit down as Members. I absolutely agree, this would be a good Caucus discussion item.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said earlier, I committed to the president that I would have the appropriate paperwork and the process clearly put together so that we all have the same paper in front of us and go through that process together. There are existing agreements in place. The MOU is in place and was extended I believe and renegotiation has been committed to. The fact of the $100 million contract school was debated here in this Assembly with the infrastructure budget put in place and I believe information on the contract list was provided to members. If not, I will request that the Minister...