Debates of October 17, 2006 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are also on the sessional statement that the Premier made earlier today. Mr. Speaker, I was listening to it very closely and I noticed that the first six or seven pages or so are talking about the bread and butter programs that the government has been providing. I might add also that most of the money for those programs come from the previous federal programs like a New Deal for Canada, community capacity building, even $500 million funding that comes from the previous government.

I think we have to be all concerned about the lack of progress we are making, not only on the devolution file because we have always said devolution without resources is no devolution at all. I would like to know from the Minister and the Premier, I get the sense that the federal government is spending more time and energy trying to get the pipeline deal through than any other issue. There is a lack of voice in this government to say the pipeline and the resource revenue sharing goes together. You can’t have one without the other. I would like to know from the Premier what efforts he’s made to get this heard and to get the outcome that we need. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are all frustrated with the amount of time it's taken to achieve an agreement on devolution and on resource revenue sharing. It becomes more critical as we have more resource development.

Mr. Speaker, our government has had to work through two federal elections over the past three years. That has certainly made it difficult for us to show substantial progress. Mr. Speaker, I have made it very clear with the Prime Minister that we want a deal on resource revenue sharing before the pipeline goes ahead. The Prime Minister has heard that, Mr. Speaker. If one were to check his speech that he made in this building, the Great Hall, then he also links those two together. He did it the opposite way. He said we won’t get resource revenue sharing without the pipeline, but I think the converse is true and it’s been our point as well. So now it’s how do we move ahead.

Mr. Speaker, we got the message to him. We have to figure out how we make progress on this. I think with the appointment of a negotiator that is a big piece. Hopefully we can move ahead. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I think there is a huge distinction with somebody saying, a Prime Minister saying, you have to show us that you are ready for business. You do that by approving a pipeline when there is no mention there whatsoever that he is ready to come to us with a resource revenue sharing deal. There is no mention of that whatsoever. There is no indication of this in the statement, Mr. Speaker, and that should concern us all.

Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians have learned that the Prime Minister is quite clear on what he wants to do and what he doesn’t want to do. People like him for that, or people may not like him for what he does do.

I think we should be very concerned that he has shown no indication whatsoever because I think if he really wanted to, he could make that deal. I have a problem if the Premier starts interpreting…

Do you have a question, Ms. Lee?

Supplementary To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Premier is, how could he possibly think that the Prime Minister coming to our home saying you are not going to see anything until you approve the pipeline is a good deal for us? How does he interpret it that way? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has always been very clear, as has Minister Prentice, that we have to work together on this thing. So when he says something, I take him at his word.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already moved this agenda ahead through Minister Prentice. As I said, Harvie Andre has been appointed as the new federal negotiator. They know that resource revenue sharing and devolution are together. That is moving ahead. As I said earlier, Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has already asked Minister Flaherty, Minister of Finance, to bring forward a proposal on financing in the Northwest Territories. Hopefully that is going to appear in December. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If you listen to the answer just given by the Premier, I think one has to notice how passive that answer is. It speaks about what the Prime Minister did or did not do, what Mr. Flaherty did or Mr. Prentice did. I see nowhere there what actions precisely the Premier has to take that shows that he understands that time is running out for the GNWT. The pipeline is going to go and we are going to have no deal and we are going to be sitting there like a loser. I would like to know exactly, in concrete terms, what can he show us that gives him any comfort that Mr. Harper has our interest in mind and not the oil companies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me just say at this time that there is no assurance at this time that the pipeline will even move ahead. Imperial are doing their costing on that one. Mr. Speaker, in assurances, I can tell you that the federal government have indicated that they are going to respond to the fiscal imbalance situation. With regard to the Territories, they have said they will deal with territorial financing on a separate track. The Finance Minister of Canada has said he will put forward a proposal in December. Mr. Speaker, those are all commitments that the federal government have made. Mr. Speaker, we have made it known to them that we anticipate and we expect that it is possible to have an agreement-in-principle on devolution and resource revenue sharing within four months and certainly before a federal election. Mr. Speaker, that is going to be our biggest hammer to make sure the Prime Minister and the federal government follow through on the commitments that they have made so far. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say again that this federal government has been very quick in doing things that they want to do. They have been very quick and they are operating on the assumption that they have a very limited time. We should be concerned that they have shown nothing, they have done nothing, indicated nothing that shows us that they are going to have this deal. So I would like to know and I can’t go just by what the Premier is saying, so could he produce some evidence from the Premier, a transcript from the meeting, a letter from the Prime Minister, a letter from Prentice, somebody somewhere that shows that we are on the agenda, we are on the radar of this federal government on resource revenue sharing and devolution? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 107-15(5): Sessional Statement, Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Mr. Speaker, I will take a look at my files. I don’t have a specific letter that comes to mind right now, but I will undertake to do what the Member is asking. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.