Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the grand chief of the Dehcho First Nation, Mr. Sam Gargan. We had a very good meeting this morning and we were both senior boys at Lapointe Hall at one time.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I’d like to welcome everybody to this morning’s proceedings. Welcome to the House.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked a little bit about consensus government. The headline in today’s Yellowknifer is “McLeod Reigns Supreme,” with a picture of Premier McLeod above the headline. I think we need to maybe inform the media a little bit about how consensus government works, because we elect people to that side of the House and I don’t think that they are reigning. I think we have honoured them with the role of leadership in our government and we want to be there to help meet the needs of our people together, together with them.
I’d like to ask Premier McLeod if he has a theory or a way that he could see that we could do more to work together as 19 Members of a consensus government and how that might be reflected in his communication to his new Cabinet in the way that we do things – for example, when there are events to attend, there’s travel that Ministers undertake – so that we can incorporate more of the expertise and the skills and the knowledge of the Members on this side of the House.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that the newspapers have to sell papers, and that wasn’t a quote of mine.
My approach always has been to involve as many Members as possible. Whenever I travelled as a Minister, I always invited some of the Members along. A lot of times when we went to the United States, I’d bring at least two Members along. On several occasions where I was invited for speaking engagements, if I couldn’t go, I would ask a Member to cover for me. On trips I couldn’t go, I’d also ask Members to attend on my behalf.
This is an item that we put on our agenda for the Cabinet retreat, where we’ll all agree how we will be able to work together with all of you, and how to communicate with each other and how to work together to get things done. A lot of it is sharing of information, listening, responding quickly to questions and queries, and providing information as requested. So we’ll be discussing all those things. As well, we’ll be talking about attendance at federal/provincial/territorial conferences.
I think that wherever possible, it would be helpful to bring, perhaps, chairs of committees along, if time is available and we can do it. Those are the type of things we’ll be discussing.
Those are all good ideas. Not only does it give Members on this side a chance to participate and support Cabinet Ministers and the Premier in the fulfillment of their roles, but it also gives a valuable insight to Members on this side. Many of these young Members will eventually be on that side. It’s a shadowing that I think benefits everybody.
When we arrive here and we do choose our leadership, seven of 19 go to the Cabinet room and 11 of the 19 go to the Regular Members’ Caucus room. There is not, in my opinion, enough of hearing everybody’s voice. You could be an amazing voice at the Cabinet table and have a lot of things to say and a lot of good, but with Cabinet confidentiality and Cabinet solidarity, the public, and even us, we may not hear enough of that. I believe that something is lost.
Does the Premier agree that there may be an expanded role for our Caucus where we sit as 19 equal Members and talk about initiatives and ideas in a greater way than we do normally on an annual basis or at the beginning of our term?
I believe we should do that. I think the way we started this 17th Assembly where we, all 19 of us, sat with Aboriginal governments I think showed that we can work together on that basis. I think for major issues we should meet as Caucus to discuss. I think in November we’re going to get together for two weeks to set the strategic direction for this government and also to finalize or formalize our vision and goals and objectives for the next four years, and our priorities. I think it’s very important for us to work as a Caucus together.
I knew that was coming and I will only make one more supplementary. As the Premier, will the Premier commit to having input on our Caucus agenda from the Cabinet side now, agree to bring forward to the Caucus, together with the Regular Members, the exploration of opportunities for the Caucus to consider more than what we have typically in the past?
We will be discussing that in our Cabinet retreat and we’re prepared to discuss it at the first opportunity in Caucus.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are in follow-up to my Member’s statement.
I’d like to ask the Premier, relative to the comments that he made on Wednesday, unedited Hansard indicated that the Premier had said that he would be willing to support a loan guarantee for the project to replace the water and sewer infrastructure at Northland. I’d like to ask the Premier to explain to me what is meant by a loan guarantee and how is that beneficial to the city and to the project.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I met with Mayor Van Tighem from Yellowknife, we talked about the Northland issue and the fact that the estimated cost to fix the problem at Northland was somewhere in the neighbourhood of $18 million. The Northland condominium group had indicated to the city that they didn’t need to have paving and so on that had been planned for the area, so that would shave $2 million to $3 million off the project. Also, if a loan guarantee was provided so that the city could make a low rate, they would save a further $3 million to $4 million. That would reduce the cost by half. That was what was proposed by the mayor in a letter to me as the sole Minister on Cabinet in the 16th Assembly.
If I recall correctly, and I guess I’ll have to confirm in Hansard, but I indicated that I was prepared to have it brought forward to Cabinet once we had reviewed our fiscal situation and we would deal with it on that basis. I would also have to check into what the process is for this government to provide a loan guarantee, because I understood that we have to come to the Legislative Assembly to get a loan guarantee approved. That’s something I’ll have to confirm.
I thank the Premier for his remarks. He had stated that the project cost was $8 million and I took a little bit of exception to that. I’m pleased that he’s changed his number to $18 million, because that is much closer to the project cost. If I add up the numbers that the Premier just mentioned, I don’t get it being reduced. He said half the cost; I don’t get it being reduced to $9 million. I think there still is, even with the reduced paving, even with the loan guarantee, I think the cost of the project is out of the reach of most members that live in Northland.
I’d like to know from the Premier, I guess I need to understand whether or not we’re talking about the same proposal, because the proposal that I have seen asks for a no-interest loan. I would like to ask the Premier if this government will seriously consider not a loan guarantee but a no-interest loan to the City of Yellowknife.
The way I look at it is we’ll have to confirm the numbers, finalize a proposal. Whether it be a loan guarantee or a no-interest loan proposal will have to be brought forward. We’d have to discuss it at Cabinet, and if we have a positive response, then we would go forward on that basis.
Thanks to the Premier. I appreciate that commitment and I’m really pleased to hear that the option of a no-interest loan will be considered. My usual last answer – I’m only asking three questions today, Mr. Speaker – is when can we, I, the city, expect a response from government regarding their proposal? Thank you.
My understanding is the condominium association had finalized the proposal. I haven’t seen it myself, but if there is a final proposal that has been brought to the city, then I expect that as soon as we assign portfolios and Ministers have been briefed up, that we could look at that, probably within the next few months.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question for Cabinet and our Premier is: I do realize that in March we are planning to change our rent scale for housing and I’m hoping that we can implement that sooner, if possible. I know portfolios aren’t designated yet, but I’d like to make that a priority. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know there is a rental scale review. We’re expecting the results fairly soon and we’ll take whatever steps we can to do it on a timely basis, recognizing that it’s a big issue for all of the communities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I have no further questions.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to congratulate the Premier and the Cabinet for being selected our leaders.
At the 17th Assembly, as we start defining our course, pathing out our approach and trying to determine the best trail to take our people forward into the next four years, I’ve heard the Premier speak of working together, collaboration, all key fundamental aspects of ensuring that we uphold the principles of consensus. I’d like to ask the Premier if he has confirmed a forum or a date to follow up on the historic October 21st meeting with the Aboriginal groups. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve only had two meetings, one before we were sworn in and one since we’ve been sworn in, so we haven’t had an opportunity to discuss it yet, Mr. Speaker.
I have no further questions.
The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My line of questioning is with the Aboriginal government that we had this historic meeting last Friday, and also that the biggest issue, I guess, on the people’s minds is the working relationship and the Devolution and Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement that was signed in the 16th, and the time frame to conclude that agreement with the federal government.
This territorial government indicated that Members had talked about the amount of dollars that are leaving the North. They talked about the control being yet in Ottawa, with some still staying in the Northwest Territories.
I want to ask the Premier, with the time frames that we signed a deal, we have not had a good response from the Aboriginal governments, except the Inuvialuit and the NWT Metis Nation at the table signing, and shows a very weak sign of support for this deal. The major other five Aboriginal governments are not all there together. I want to ask the Premier his relationship with the federal government and John Duncan. This is the guy that would not meet with the Aboriginal governments when he came to the Northwest Territories, yet he is supposed to be the man to represent the Aboriginal people.
Can the Premier indicate, in his phone call with Duncan, that things have changed or it’s different versions of how the North is going to be strong, free and wealthy and what’s a good potential? Can the Premier tell me what type of discussion he had, that maybe we’ve got a chance with Duncan to maybe consider meeting with the chiefs when he gets to the North again?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had a very good discussion with Minister Duncan and I told him about how we, as a Caucus, had met with the Aboriginal governments, and that I had been on the phone talking to the majority of the Aboriginal government leaders and it was my intention to talk to all of them either by today or early next week. He indicated that he was prepared to come north and to meet with the Aboriginal leaders at some appropriate time in the future, so I believe that it is his intention to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hopefully, somewhere between now and whenever Minister Duncan comes north and meets with all the Aboriginal leaders to discuss this important issue, being a former chief negotiator of the land claim and self-government, that the federal government tag the amount of money to conclude a deal with the benefits if we go ahead to sign or not to sign.
With the devolution we have an 18-month time frame. I want to ask the Premier, in his discussions so far with the Aboriginal governments, the federal government, if that 18-month time frame is something that we’re working towards or something that could be maybe stretched or could be something that would give us enough time to get a deal signed with the Aboriginal governments, all of them, to make this a deal that’s worthwhile to stand up and say, yes, it’s a maiden deal or something that Minister Duncan is going to show again by demonstrating his actions at the take-it-or-leave-it deal, and that is the way that he seems to be operating. Is the Premier willing to consider those options?
My understanding of the dates or timelines that you’re quoting is that those are just guidelines. In our discussions with the Aboriginal governments, we are not talking about those kinds of specific details at this time. We’ve been talking about how to try to find ways to find some common ground and to start working together, and we’re hoping to be able to start to do that and to follow up on the meeting in Dettah by getting together again soon, hopefully before Christmas.
Certainly, I hope that the Cabinet or the Premier is looking at some guidelines, because that’s how the system works.
I know when I was the chief negotiator, again, that the Treasury Board gave us a guideline and this is the amount, this is the agreement, you reach it and when you get there, you go to your people and ask if you want to accept the deal or not. The other part of it goes into implementation.
Would the Premier look at, with the Aboriginal governments, a timeline. I heard it from your other Cabinet Ministers that the amount of money that’s leaving the Northwest Territories, there’s a deal signed.
The federal government is a majority government. They have the ability to say take it or leave it. Can the Premier look with his team to see how they could get the Aboriginal government onside, on common ground within the guidelines of 18 months or they can do it within two or three years and take it to the people so that the people can all vote and say this is what we want, rather than keep it with a select few in the House here?
It is our intention to work with the Aboriginal leaders to find some common ground and at that point they’ll look at timelines. Thank you.
Can the Premier tell us how he’s going to involve this Assembly? How do we staff the right person? Are we going to have some staff in Ottawa that would help us bridge the link between us and the Minister’s office to strengthen the agreement with our Aboriginal partners on this important issue and other issues in the North such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway? How are we going to evolve and determine the staffing if we are going to have a staff in Ottawa to help us get our financial, political, economic situation here in the Northwest Territories, and most importantly, our relationship with the federal government?
Thank you. Normally staff from Ottawa don’t really become involved until such time as we get fairly close, because we need staff from Ottawa to write the Cabinet decision papers and also when we get closer to the actual transition to have federal staff to help with implementation. So I’m not sure what the Member is leading to when he’s asking for having federal staff involved, because normally they’re involved at the negotiating table and we have our negotiating people as well. So if you’re suggesting to use federal people to reach common ground with Aboriginal governments, then we could do that as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification, I’m asking about our own staffing, I’m not asking about the federal staffing. That is the post-evolution and post-impact agreement. I’m asking about our people, how we’re going to get our people here working with us as an independent office, or an office that we could use in Ottawa.
Thank you. Right now in our discussions with Aboriginal governments, we’re keeping all our options open, and at the appropriate time we will have that discussion, and if it would facilitate the process, we would be quite prepared to do it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Premier fielding all these questions today on behalf of Cabinet. I’d like to say, first of all, that I’m pleased that there was a good discussion had with Grand Chief Sam Gargan and I’m wondering if the Premier can share with us either in this format, or Caucus, or committee, what those discussions were and how they were good. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
