Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s probably an understatement today to say it was a spectacular move forward on the evolution of the people of the Northwest Territories and our governance model with the Prime Minister here today to announce that the devolution negotiations have come to an end. Of course, that only means one thing: We are pushing forward to an implementation of, finally, the authority and respect that we deserve. I would say that today is certainly a great day for the people of the Northwest Territories.
In that great day there are a lot of questions about what this future will bring, what limitless bounds are before us. What is so critical about this opportunity today is the future belongs to Northerners and it’s ours to carve out, it’s ours to tread, it’s ours to grab and hold.
I’ve been asked by many people, the public, what does the final agreement mean. I look forward to the Premier bringing forward that type of robust discussion to all Northerners so that we can see what the final agreement finally does in the details and the sense of, as they always say, the devil is in the details. This agreement certainly is no exception to that.
The people do want to see the details. While we were on break only a few minutes ago, many people were wondering now what’s next. What does it mean? Where does it take us? I hope that the Premier does hope for a public engagement strategy on informing Northerners what our government has negotiated on their behalf. As Members of this Assembly, we are privy to some of those finer details but, at the same time, we’re cloaked in the confidentiality of that. I look forward to the Premier bringing forward that type of discussion.
There are many people looking forward to being brought on board in support for this Devolution Agreement, but they do want to know what it means. I don’t hear a lot of opposition here in Yellowknife, but that’s not to say people don’t want to know what their government is taking them towards or what rabbit hole we’ve now found ourselves plunging down.
I will say for the record, of course, that I am in support of the Devolution Agreement that was signed here today. I know the work has been long sought after. We have at least 12 years, if not decades, beyond that which have brought us to the final pen signature today. There is clarity sought after in my statement today which is about what devolution means. Many people don’t understand, and would like to understand about the authorities and powers it draws down, the resource control, the land and water board stewardship that we will be as a people managing ourselves.
In closing, earlier today our Premier made mention that there would be a vote before the Assembly and that type of discussion I would like to hear more of, and during question period I will be having those types of questions for the Premier to find out how Northerners will be engaged in the next step.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
