Joe Handley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are all frustrated with the amount of time it's taken to achieve an agreement on devolution and on resource revenue sharing. It becomes more critical as we have more resource development.

Mr. Speaker, our government has had to work through two federal elections over the past three years. That has certainly made it difficult for us to show substantial progress. Mr. Speaker, I have made it very clear with the Prime Minister that we want a deal on resource revenue sharing before the pipeline goes ahead. The Prime Minister has heard that, Mr. Speaker. If one were to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The four months past I am referring to is an agreement-in-principle, not a complete devolution and resource revenue sharing as was reported. I am talking about an agreement-in-principle. Mr. Speaker, yes, it has been discussed with Mr. Andre. It has also been discussed with Minister Prentice.

Mr. Speaker, let me point out, as Members may recall, in July 2005 or June 2005, we had an agreement. The aboriginal negotiator was ready to recommend to his principals the acceptance of an agreement-in-principle on devolution. We had issue with regard to some of the fiscal side...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say, first of all, that I believe that we have to deal with these step by step, but I want to work with Minister Prentice and his people on the devolution and resource revenue sharing file. That is one that is doable. They have just appointed a negotiator. I intend to work with them on that one. The same on the Finance Minister’s file. Our Minister of Finance will be working with Minister Flaherty on that one and we’ll see where that goes. Mr. Speaker, if we’re not able to make progress on these two files, then at that time we are going to have to look at...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, we have been working with the business community, with aboriginal governments, on both devolution and resource revenue sharing. I want to continue that. Mr. Speaker, I will be attending regional meetings with the regional leaders. I know the leaders for the Aboriginal Summit are meeting in November. This will be an issue on their agenda. Mr. Speaker, we have worked in the past with the Business Coalition and I intend to continue to work with the business community through that coalition and I don’t have any specific plan on it, but we intend to work...

Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of work done over the last 20 years. I think until a year ago, we had made a considerable amount of progress up to July 2005, in fact to the point where the aboriginal leaders were going to recommend or the negotiators were going to recommend to their leaders acceptance of an agreement-in-principle on devolution. That took us to the six issues. Mr. Speaker, I don’t think the federal government should start from a clean slate. I think there is a lot of work out there that’s been done and I think they should start with that. My recommendation to both Minister...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, that is not my personal belief. I believe that when someone brings this kind of situation forward -- and I realize it is very difficult for them to bring it forward -- that we have to make assumptions that what they’re bringing forward is valid. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, all of the six questions are between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories. All of them are of interest to aboriginal organizations and governments as well, particularly the one that deals with how we will treat offshore resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say, first of all, that I have issued an apology for the comments that I made. I realize they were inappropriate and they may have hurt people, and I am sincerely sorry for that. Mr. Speaker, I always have to take ownership about any comments I make, whether they’re taken out of context or not. Mr. Speaker, whether it’s a phrase out of something I said or whatever, I hold myself responsible for those comments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member’s question is with regard to what we are doing with industry and that falls within the responsibility of the Minister for ITI. I will refer it to him. I recognize that he also carried on with some discussion about fiscal issues as well. I will leave it to the Minister of ITI to respond. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members of this Legislative Assembly have been working diligently to ensure that a number of important legislative initiatives and issues are dealt with prior to the end of our term. Some of the most important of these initiatives include:

as mentioned earlier, we will be moving forward with a new Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act to provide additional remedies not available under the Criminal Code of Canada;

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a new Liquor Act to address numerous issues identified in the final report of the 2005 Liquor Act review that was completed last...