Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to just begin by saying that I misspoke during my statement by saying that there were 20,000 non-resident workers. In fact, the right number is 2,000. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The Labour Market Forecast and Needs Assessment provides some valuable insights into the nature of the job market to come, but it is weak on the topic of how new workers will be attracted to the territory. The resident work force is forecasted to both age and shrink, so much so, the report says, that the conditions may “limit...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for his answer. The fact remains that this forecast has gaps when it comes to renewable industry research or employment opportunities. I am wondering if there is a plan to do the same kind of research on them as has been done with the non-renewable resource sector. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Premier for that. I assume he had all of that information when he made the commitment to make a new land offer within 90 days to the Dehcho First Nations. That hasn't happened. I understand the Dehcho First Nations are eager for that to happen. When will it happen?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to continue on with my questions for the Premier based on my statement. One of the key things that he promised was to assist in evening out the bumps of the resource economy by providing support for economic diversification. To that end, I'd like to hear from the Premier when he expects the agricultural strategy to be ready. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to pursue this issue, there was a meeting of the northern Premiers in Old Crow, Yukon in which they said that they were against a carbon tax for the North. That's the context. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier, the Honourable Bob McLeod. I'll follow up on the statement I just made regarding Mr. McLeod's progress on promises made during his candidacy speech. Mr. McLeod promised “a more cooperative approach with new mechanism to enable greater input from Regular MLAs, possibly in the form of joint committees, pardon me, on critical issues such as climate change and family violence.” I notice that the Premier has made high profile statements of opposition on carbon tax without the Assembly's sanction on this position, so what is the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Premier has many issues and portfolios to stay on top of, but 174 days into this 18th Assembly the Premier is less the change agent he promised and instead is delivering more business as usual. Thank you.

Thanks to the Premier for that answer. We are looking forward to seeing it on our side of the House. My next question involves the promise to establish better government-to-government relations with Aboriginal organizations and to speed the process of land claims. Can the Premier please tell us when he plans to present an offer to the Dehcho and meet with the leadership of that organization?

Mr. Speaker, I'm sorry to be quarrelsome on this point, but the Premier was quoted in the media, along with his colleagues, in saying that he opposed a carbon tax for the NWT. What I'm saying is on what authority is he making that statement? Certainly, not without any consultation with this side of the House, thus sort of diminishing the idea of the consensus within consensus government which he said he wanted to promote when he became the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like him to respond that point.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I'm talking about here is leadership, and the Premier wanted to be our leader and he is, in fact, our leader, so in his position as the leader, for example, he has made a statement opposing carbon tax, which is not something Members on this side of the House have any input into whether through a joint committee or any other committee. What I'm looking for is for the Premier to make good on his inclusive approach that he talked about during his candidacy speech. When can we expect that to start? Thank you.