Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my understanding, this AIP is going to be forwarded on to Ottawa. Has it been forwarded on to Ottawa yet? When can we expect a response back from Ottawa? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Inuvialuit, the Gwich’in, the people in the Sahtu and the NWT Metis Nation have signed on to the AIP on devolution and resource revenue sharing. I would like to ask the Premier, there are some remaining groups that still we would like to see signed on. Is there still an opportunity for them to sign on and be part of this AIP? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By no means are we trying to insinuate that the community government of Behchoko doesn’t serve its residents. Mr. Speaker, this agreement or document was signed prior to the Tlicho Government coming into power. It requires us to have the community governments that are in the community and I have laid it out which ones were there and had to sign on, and it also involves the Metis local which still has members and serves their members. It would be really unfair for us to remove them at this point, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community capacity building fund is an initiative to provide some resources to the communities to work on projects that the community feels is in their best interest. There is very little criteria that was established around this fund. It was one that would be a fund that would benefit the community. It had to be demonstrated. The other one was to have all the community government organizations sign on to the application. So far, we have not received an application that has both signatures from Behchoko yet. We have had some discussions with the...

Mr. Speaker, they showed real leadership. This is something that has been a long time in the works. We have to start somewhere and we have a foundation in place. Now we have to build something on top of that. Some may feel that this AIP was rushed into. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that this process has been going on for over 30 years. I know we operate on NWT time up here, but 30 years is not rushing into anything.

---Laughter

We might not have all the groups on board right now, Mr. Speaker, but I am sure the door is being left open for them to sign when they feel like they are ready...

It is my pleasure to speak today about the recent accomplishments of staff from community governments and other community and regional organizations who have achieved program completion through the School of Community Government.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ School of Community Government works with community governments and other national and territorial partners to design programs, write curriculum and schedule courses that provide meaningful theory and practical experiences to be used by students when they return to their workplace.

Since the School of Community...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the certification I think really depends on the education level or the skill level of some of our water plant operators. In some cases, it takes some time. We have to do a number of different types of programming including some hands-on training where we have either a Public Works officer or a Municipal and Community Affairs officer work right in the facility with them to provide hands-on training. But in some cases, it is a very short number of courses through the School of Community Government that would certify them. Mr. Speaker, it really depends...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Premier for that. I also would like to ask the Premier if we have a federal election and there happens to be a new government, does this fall off the table or would it still be dealt with by Ottawa? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier mentioned that he would offer briefings to some of the other groups. I would like to ask the Premier. Have any of the groups taken him up on his offer yet? Is there any indication that they may be willing to sign on to the AIP quite soon? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is our intention, Mr. Speaker, it is to do the right thing and serve all the communities in a fair manner. Excluding one group at this point that still has a recognition and good standing would be unfair, Mr. Speaker. We are waiting for a submission that would come from the community with both signatures on it. We will wait. We have extended the deadline until the end of June. Failing to have an agreement at that point, we will take the next steps and call on the communities to come forward with individual proposals, then we will make the decision. Thank you...