Norman Yakeleya

I do appreciate that the Minister is working hard in this area. This individual I talk about could be anybody in the Northwest Territories. So let’s talk generalities because I know the issue I am talking about. I haven’t given you names. I’ve just said a person in Deline. I could be talking about someone in Good Hope or wherever.

So I want to continue the discussion. This could be Tulita, it could be Tuktoyaktuk, it could be Tsiigehtchic or wherever. We have people who are leaving their communities, who have family obligations, who have jobs, who, out of the goodness of their hearts, are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the leadership from the Sahtu, specifically the Tulita leadership delegation. I’d like to recognize the grand chief and Chief Frank Andrew; president Clarence Campbell from Tulita Land and Financial Corporation; vice-president Jimmy Mendo; Sally Horassi, board member; Leon Andrew, board member; and from the Fort Norman Metis Land Corporation, Rocky Norwegian, board member; and Valerie Yakeleya, board member. Thank you.

Over the years of hard work that the people have set, that institutions set out our own rights within our own land claims. Now we also have our own land in the Sahtu. Is that also in the type of response I get back from the Minister that the Sahtu people are making decisions on their own lands, through their own institutions and that’s the process that will continue? Is that what I’m understanding from the Premier?

Mr. Speaker, of course the federal government will also do due diligence on this legislation. Do we have any role in regards to working with the federal government in implementing Deline’s self-government agreement?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, on the potential of Deline proving their community government initiative tonight. I want to ask the Minister, are there within the life of this government here that Deline, should they be successful – tonight we’ll hear for sure – legislation in place for them to become enacted in legislation as a self-government body?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can literally say a new government may be born tonight. Deline may become the first community self-government ever. Deline is known as the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada, now it may also be known as the birthplace of community governance.

This agreement was negotiated by those who moved forward, so we sit on the edge of our seats to see if 18 years of hard work by so many will be recognized tonight.

Deline has a vision, a plan, backed by their elders, encouraged by all the leaders to move forward. This community of Deline, in the Sahtu, was not built by those who...

Mr. Speaker, I have a tabled document from the community of Tulita. It’s for a Sahtu decision on fracking. They are asking for regional Sahtu decision.

Thank you. I recall from the days of negotiating we want more land, that’s what we kind of negotiated with the two governments. So I want to ask the Premier within our land claims, the constitution, the protective document that sets up certainties, securities, institutions in the Sahtu, is it the intention of the territorial government to work with the Sahtu people through their institution to look at issues in a way that satisfies the people of the Sahtu, such as the operations of the oil and gas explorations, using the hydraulic fracking, that due diligence is followed and all the concerns...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask some questions to the Premier in regard to the Sahtu Land Claim Agreement. In our agreements we have institutions, we have set up institutions that would bring some decision-making authority and control within the Sahtu. Now with devolution and Mr. Bromley’s questions on the environmental assessments and stuff like that, will our institutions still be restricted because of the institutions that we set up? We have set them up for a reason and for a purpose. Will these institutions still be in place or is it the GNWT’s intention to take over these...

In the Sahtu they are really excited and they hope they will hear the news tonight.

What are the next steps should the vote be a successful vote?