Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In September, late September, a group of veteran leaders in the Northwest Territories, aboriginal leaders, met in Yellowknife and talked about the state of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, they came out with a report, and in that report it stated that in 1992 the NWT commission, the constitutional development report published a phase I of this report, it’s known as the Jim Bourque Report.
Mr. Speaker, this report had extensive consultation across the Northwest Territories to all people in terms of constitutional reform in the Northwest Territories. A lot of good work had been done on the consultation and the report. A lot of good work, as I said, was put into it.
Now you can look at phase II of the report, Mr. Speaker, and the significance of phase II at this time, in this day and age, of our political development. Our land claim, Mr. Speaker, was the first land claim, in 1984. Four were signed by the IRC and in 2003 the Tli Cho signed the self-government land claim, also, which has a lot of significance in going forward.
Mr. Speaker, as I stated before, the aboriginal governments have experienced breaches of their treaties through the past and today, and the government has failed to honour the intent of these agreements in the implementation of their commitments.
Mr. Speaker, today we have mines, we have discussion about the pipeline, and now we’re having discussions on a draft AIP over lands and water. Mr. Speaker, now is the time to begin phase II of this report that can address some of these issues that are facing us today. We need to look at the public and aboriginal governments. That will truly address the fundamental outstanding issues that block the evolution of a unifying approach to northern governments. This report identifies how the issues critical to northern people will...(inaudible)...the challenge of the aboriginal governments, the aboriginal governments and this territorial government, and also re-establish a public government.
This report sets out the path to examine major principles to guide us all in the Northwest Territories. It also sets out a road so that we can work together. Truly, a feat that is capable of all leaders to make this a worthwhile deal. It’s time again to look at the Bourque Report, look at phase II and let’s get on with it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
