Debates of March 18, 2004 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few weeks ago we all heard the Auditor General tell us that the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs needs to do a better job implementing the land claim agreements to reflect the spirit of those documents. Mr. Speaker, we like to criticize Ottawa now and then, but in this case maybe we should invite the Auditor General to the Northwest Territories, too. The GNWT also needs to improve how they admit the land claim obligations.

The Inuvialuit final agreement was signed in 1984. The Gwich’in agreement was signed in 1992. The Sahtu agreement was signed in 1993. We have all these nice chapters on wildlife, forestry, lands and economic measures. They aren’t doing us much good, Mr. Speaker. We are still waiting for the amendments to the Wildlife Act and the Forest Management Act and other legislation.

The Mackenzie Valley is about to see major developments. Things are moving fast, so we need our land claim agreements to be in full effect so we can manage our lands, resources and economics. That’s what the agreements were supposed to give us. The GNWT has to change its laws to make this happen.

Mr. Speaker, I’m very happy for my Tlicho friends who were finally able to sign their agreement last year. I sure hope they have better luck than the Sahtu and Gwich’in people and that they’re not still waiting around 10 years from now for this government to live up to its obligations.

At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I’ll be asking the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs how he plans to make sure this government is up to the letter and spirit of the land claims obligations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause