Michael Miltenberger

Thank you. It’s a good thing that after 15 years I’ve got a thick political hide when he says “will I now act with the honour people expect” implies that up until now I have not been, and I would, of course, take grave exception to that.

I stand here very, very committed, as I’ve indicated, to looking to the interests as a Minister of this government to people of the Northwest Territories and it’s something that consumes me just about every waking moment that I do have. Yes, we will do, and we are doing, and will continue to do all the things necessary to protect the interests of the people of...

Thank you. We are looking at the report, or the response from the JRP. Ourselves, as representatives of the Government of the Northwest Territories, representing the people of the Northwest Territories, as well as the federal government, and I can indicate to the Member once again that we are hard at work looking at all that information, the response, the recommendations, issues of concern by the JRP as well as other folks. We received feedback under the agree to consult, for example, and that we will be concluding in the next few weeks the report and we will be putting that out to the public...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Northwest Territorial Capital Estimates 2011-2012.

Mr. Speaker, I also wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to the Standing Committee on Government Operations Report 5-16(4) on the Review of the 2008-2009 Annual Report of the Human Rights Commission.

Mr. Speaker, further to Return to Written Question 13-16(5), I wish to table the following document entitled Growing Forward: Canada/Northwest Territories.

I also wish to table, Mr. Speaker, further to my Return to Written Question 14-16(5), the following...

Thank you. The Member is overdramatizing, I believe, the circumstance. We’re not throwing anything away. We have been part of this process from the start. It was agreed to many years ago, the role of the JRP, the role of the responsible Ministers, and its recommendations we are looking at and are going to respond to. I’m saying to the people of the Northwest Territories they should continue to have full trust in the Government of the Northwest Territories in this area and all the other areas that we deliver programs and work to protect and advance their interests, and this will be no different...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member forgot unambiguous as well.

---Laughter

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, there is a process underway. The Joint Review Panel has played a key role and did the initial report. The initial response was done. We did our duty to consult, we consulted with all the aboriginal governments. We are involved. We shared that information with the Joint Review Panel. They came back with a letter. The Member is referring to it. He said he would table it later today. That letter is now being thoroughly and fully reviewed and looked at. We are still in the finalizing stage of the report...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many people had a hand in the developing of our Water Strategy, Northern Voices, Northern Waters. We have some of these fine folks in the gallery today and from INAC I’d like to recognize Teresa Joudrie, director of Renewable Resources and Environment; Sevn Bohnet, technical coordinator; Tricia Melander-Forde, senior communications officer; Carole Mills, former manager, water resources division, now working for the Government of the Northwest Territories; and with the GNWT we have our stalwart deputy, Mr. Gary Bohnet; Mark Warren, assistant deputy minister of ENR; Megan...

Thank you. Yes, we’re going to take all those factors into consideration as there will be more work done this summer on the Bluenose East, we’re going to try to do some work on the Ahiak, we’re going to do as well some work on the Bathurst. So we intend that all that information has to be added to the mix. We’re going to build in the traditional knowledge that has been part of this process so far, work with the communities as well to come up with the best information, and, once again, the indications are that there is strong commitment by all the parties to come up with a plan so that we’re...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are currently fully engaged, of course, in the Wek’eezhii process. At the same time, we recognize the need to have a parallel process with the Akaitcho and the Yellowknives. There have been meetings this week and every week preceding this week as well with our very senior ADM, with the chief or a dozen elders. Today is basically their elders’ summit to talk about the steps ahead to come up with an arrangement that we can have in place for this coming hunting season, as well as map out the plan forward for a longer term as we plan for the Bathurst herd and it will be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the third time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Thank you.