Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ENR staff have provided the Department of Infrastructure with wildlife data to support the development of road-routing options, and, based on preliminary discussions, I understand that the focus at this stage is in obtaining funding to advance the Slave Geological Province. Once we do that, there is still a very lengthy environmental assessment process that we would have to go through, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up to Oral Question 82-18(3): Economic Opportunities Arising from Legalization of Cannabis." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I have a number of examples I can use. The barren-ground caribou are one of the most important species for NWT residents. That goes without saying. The GNWT has worked incredibly closely and collaboratively with communities and renewable resource boards and Indigenous governments and organizations. The four renewable resource boards in the settled land claims area are the main instruments of wildlife management, and play a leading role in caribou management and recovery effort.

Fisheries is currently a federal responsibility, and the GNWT has yet to negotiate a co-management of the Beaufort offshore, which remains a federal jurisdiction. However, I can point out that we have had exploratory discussions with the federal government on that. We are one of, I think, only two jurisdictions in Canada that have yet to negotiate that with the federal government. I will keep the Member in the House informed as to the discussions we have with the federal government as we go forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is committed to an inclusive and collaborative approach to wildlife management, and we are considered leaders in wildlife co-management. ENR has actually written a book on how to manage wildlife collaboratively, and we continue to work with our partners to refine and improve the process. In settled land claims area, renewal resource boards have been established as a main instrument of wildlife management, and representation is defined in the land claim itself.

Our government has been engaging with the Government of Canada to try to make some progress on a specific commitment in the devolution agreement to begin negotiations of a co-management of the Beaufort Sea. As the Member knows, we have just passed the one-year anniversary of Canada implementing a moratorium on offshore exploration in the Beaufort Sea. Specifically, they have said they are definitely off-limits to new offshore oil and gas licences, to be tested every five years by a science-based review.

Also, as well, federal officials have been approaching and asking oil and gas companies with...

Partnerships with Indigenous governments is part of how we do business in the Northwest Territories. The land claim and self-governed agreements that have been negotiated in the North are an important way to achieve the kind of reconciliation that Ottawa is making a priority right now.

The Sahtu land claim confirmed and clarified some very important rights for Dene and Metis people of the regions, including management of renewable resources within the settlement area, land use planning within the settlement area, environmental impact assessment and review within the Mackenzie Valley, and...

The Arctic policy framework is still under development, and the structure of the framework is still being negotiated and confirmed, but the federal government has committed to a chapter for each territory to set out their priorities. It is also expected there will be a chapter on Indigenous priorities.

The government of the Northwest Territories will have the lead for developing the Northwest Territories chapter, and has been engaging Indigenous governments and other stakeholders to ensure Northwest Territories use and priorities from federal polices and plans. Also, Mr. Speaker, the three...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we are still in the negotiating phase. We have a few more items to discuss. My understanding is they are working on those as we speak, and we should be in a position to come with an announcement as soon as they iron out these last few details. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am not sure whether we do that or not, but I will work with our division and get the information and share it with committee, so the quick answer is I am really not sure. I do not have the information at my fingertips, but we will work on getting that information. Thank you, Mr. Chair.