Frederick Blake Jr.

My final question here. That really sounds great. In what sort of timeline can we actually see a change in the mandate? Is it six months or is it eight months or two months?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member's statement, as you recall during our election period, I have had a lot of concerns about negotiations, whether its self-government or land claims. Some of these land claims and self-government agreements have gone on for almost 20 years now, with spending in the neighbourhood of $20 million, and then, whether it is a land claim group or the government that is negotiating, they receive that much less. There are some challenges, for example. The reason I know this is eight years ago, these same issues were a challenge at the time...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Thank you, and thank you to the department to make that change there and we look forward to the first three months. Thanks.

Nice try.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Minister's opening comments, he highlighted some concerns about the Community Access Program under the department. I don't see any funds allocated. I know the department feels, or the Minister feels, that there's no projects going ahead in the first three months, but there are actually projects that communities want to do. A number of the communities don't have the funds available to take care of these costs. To take on a project for $60,000 or $80,000 and bear the cost over the first three months, it's challenging for communities. The majority...

That sounds great. It would be great if we could do that over the next couple of years here. That opens up a lot of our territory to development. But the biggest challenge is to ensure that we do this. I would like to ask the Premier: Will we be changing our negotiating mandate to ensure that we have a common interest to settle both land claims and self-government agreements?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk a bit about the negotiations we are currently in. As you know, we have a couple outstanding land claims negotiations that have been underway for a number of years, but also self-government. We have a couple self-government organizations that are very close to an agreement. We have the Inuvialuit. Also, the Gwich'in are working towards an agreement-in-principle. There are number of challenges that our governments are facing under negotiations and some of them range from taking over programs at current levels. It's very difficult for our...

That sounds great. I'd like to ask the Minister if he knows how often will programs be available, and will there be a schedule available to my constituents.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during my last constituency tour I held in the communities, one of my constituents wanted me to bring forward the need for more on-the-land healing programs in our region. I know a couple years back there was some programs held in Beaufort-Delta, but my constituents would like to see more happening within our riding. With the report that was done, I believe it was about a year and a half ago, under the Mental Health Act, our residents wanted more on-the-land healing programs. I know the department has been working with the Gwich’in Tribal Council. He gave...

Thank You, Mr. Chair. With me today is usually my right-hand man, but today he's my left-hand man. Here is Mr. Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and Mr. Ken Chutskoff, legislative counsel.