Kevin A. Menicoche

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to pick up where the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe left off with regards to civic leave. My questions are for the Minister responsible for FMBS. I am sure the Minister is aware that smaller communities are generally at least 50 to 70 percent staff of government. In order to run the many boards and councils that are needed for the communities, a lot of these people offer their volunteer time, Mr. Speaker. Constituents in the Nahendeh riding are particularly concerned about regional manager's interpretation of the rules with regard to civic leave. Does the...

Mr. Speaker, mahsi cho. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak again on the one-rate power zone, which on Wednesday I gave notice of motion to. I apparently raised an old debate, and I welcome that. But, Mr. Speaker, this is a debate that the public never had. I am supportive of this motion and the decision rests solely in the…

Madam Chair, I wish to report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m just looking for assurance from the Minister that our role as interveners is not going to be merely a rubber-stamper, but we’ll have some meaningful input into the hearings and demand some of the things that our people are saying that they definitely want benefits and just not roll over. Will the Minister direct his department to play more of a participatory role in the joint review panel hearings? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker. That’s very important that we do sit with them. As well, I believe it’s very important that we sit with our public and our constituents as they want a say and they want to be heard as our socioeconomic development agreement progresses. Does the Minister have plans to provide community consultations with regard to a GNWT socioeconomic development agreement?

Honourable colleagues, mahsi cho for allowing me to conclude my Member’s statement. I just want to point out that the North was born on hunting and trapping, and the land provided for us. The animals provided for us and the furs provided us cash. In this modern day and age, the land is still giving us an opportunity to take care of us through the gas, oil and all the resources that are in the North. Here is our opportunity for the land to continue to take care of us, but today we call it resource revenue sharing. I believe firmly that our government has to urge the federal government to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that we report progress.

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for this opportunity to speak on the motion and I believe it’s doable and I believe it’s time.

---Applause

As the honourable Member for Great Slave had indicated yesterday, an act governing the NWT was created in 1870 in Ottawa, and I believe that the territorial aspirations for wanting their own revenues and their share of royalties began one day after that act was created. So that’s 134 years ago, Mr. Speaker, yet we’re still on the same path and Ottawa certainly still has the old colonial mentality when it comes to our treatment for ourselves here in the...

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me if the GNWT did gain our intervener status when it comes to deliberation in the public hearings or the federal government in the deliberations of the joint review panel? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the honourable Minister of Resources Wildlife and Economic Development. The machine has begun in terms of the proponents filing their documents to build the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline project. I would like to ask the Minister where is the department at in terms of our role in developing our socioeconomic development agreement. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.