Michael Nadli

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a rare treat to recognize constituents from my riding that are here today. First and foremost, I want to recognize Agnes Bonnetrouge, who has been a student, gone to university down south, and she is back home. At the same time, I want to recognize Sam Gargan, the former MLA, the Speaker, and the current mayor of Fort Providence and also an associate and a supporter of the Dechinta University and also member of the Dechinta University, as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance recently announced the initiative to advance the idea of a historical case unit. I want to understand: would the Minister of the Department of Justice know what role that his department will play in basically going forward with that initiative and how perhaps that process could provide a level of support and assurances to families of missing persons? Mahsi.

What is the status of the Northwest Territories Men's Healing Program? To the Minister of Justice, again.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided]

Tarek Chicot was recently selected to travel to Calgary to meet the Flames' defenseman Travis Hamonic and take in a hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks. Tarek was chosen on merit, including his achievements in high school. This honour came about through the Calgary Flames and Hockey North, in their efforts to build Canada's "hockey family" and promote positive life skills.

The trip included airfare, two nights in Calgary, two Hamonic jerseys, and a meeting with Travis and other players in the dressing room after the game. It was a very...

I would like to thank the Premier for his reply. Recently, a Parliamentary committee from the federal level was here in Yellowknife and had run consultations in preparation for the federal budget that we expect in the new year. Has the GNWT undertaken any analysis or discussions with Canada about financing for designated authority communities funded by the federal government? Will future arrangements continue the practice of treating these communities differently than other First Nations communities in the NWT?

Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago I spoke in this House about the importance of honouring the spirit and intent of Treaties 8 and 11 by bringing the Dehcho process to a successful conclusion. Until we have settled negotiations on our lands, I think I will continue to have an unsettled feeling in my heart. It is a feeling that I have carried with me, and my people with carried as well, for far too long.

Mr. Speaker, most of the First Nations people in the NWT are descendants of the leaders who negotiated Treaties 8 and 11 in 1899 and 1921. These treaties were entered into in a spirit of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the motion because we just completed the Mid-Term Review. That Mid-Term Review, of course, resulted in a non-confident vote of the Honourable Mr. Louis Sebert. I felt let down because I did support Mr. Sebert's move to the portfolio of the ministry that he led for the past two years. Let down because of the A New Day Program most notably. It was a nationally recognized program across Canada for healing and wellness for men. I felt let down that that program basically became non-existent. It morphed into another initiative.

The other...

My question is: can the Premier clarify whether the GNWT sees these designated authority communities as Aboriginal governments?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are in follow-up to the statement that I made. Treaties for the most part in the NWT and in Canada are bilateral in nature, involving two parties, Aboriginal governments and the Government of Canada. From a First Nations perspective, treaties take on the features of being peace and friendship or cooperation agreements. At times, through governments' measuring and ensuring that the level of accountability and transparency does prevail over those regimes, sometimes it takes on the face of being paternalistic. My question is to the Premier: does...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the region that I am strongly, of course, affiliated with is the Deh Cho region, and they are an unsettled region. Would this government, through the Premier's eyes, view the Deh Cho as an Aboriginal government?