Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier today. It gets back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about this new proposal the Government of the Northwest Territories put forward to the federal government that was in addition to the devolution and resource revenue sharing negotiations that were ongoing.
Everybody knows that the Government of the Northwest Territories has been trying to get a deal with the federal government for the past 20 years. This may or may not be a good proposal that the government has put forward, but all of a sudden, to plop a massive — and the Premier even alludes to it in his sessional statement as “substantive” — proposal to the federal government into the mix…. I’d just like the Premier to advise Members on this side of the House when we might be able to get a look at the proposal that was made to the federal government.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is quite right. The fact is that we have over many years and through many Assemblies tried to come to a conclusion from what was one day called a Northern accord to devolution and resource revenue sharing.
We know that the last offer on the table was one that, when working with the aboriginal governments and organizations, they were not supportive of. Some groups are saying they want to do their own work first or come up with a settlement in their self-government discussions.
But through the regional table that we’ve established during the life of this government, we’ve been having ongoing discussions about the devolution and resource revenue sharing file. Prior to sending the letter out, I was able to call a number of the regional leaders to inform them I was putting a letter before the Prime Minister and at the same time had forwarded a letter on to Members. We’re trying to set up some time now to sit down with Members and go over more of the file that we’re waiting to bring to conclusion.
I appreciate the challenge that the government finds itself in, and I know the pressures on our infrastructure and the need for more money. You can’t debate that. But the fact remains there was an impasse. The government has put a new proposal on the table to the federal government without first consulting the Regular Members of this House — duly elected Members — and I’ve heard from other Members that perhaps aboriginal governments across the Northwest Territories weren’t consulted on this either.
So, again, let’s be up front with each other. Let’s put the deal on the table before we take it to Ottawa. I’d like to ask the Premier when we’ll be able to see this proposal.
The fact is that at times we have to move and move fairly quickly. When we became aware that the Prime Minister was going to be visiting our jurisdiction, we felt that was the opportune time to put before him and his staff the idea of establishing a framework. That is a step we have taken, to come up with a proposal that is a framework to try to cross the gap that is now in place with the existing deal on the table.
Again, I called a number of the regional leaders. Those I was able to speak to I let know that this was the intention. We forwarded letters on to them in that regard, and we’re going to also, at our next meeting, have further discussions on this. I believe it would be in November at some point, at our next regional leaders meeting.
I’ve got, I believe, some time scheduled now, or we’re working on the scheduling of a meeting with committee members to go over the framework. But it is just that. It is a framework to try to cross that gap that is now in place.
I think part of the problem, from what I understand, in the past and the impasse that was there had to do with this fiscal capacity cap.
I’d like to ask the Premier: is the impasse that’s currently at play the capacity cap, or is it this new proposal the Government of the Northwest Territories has put on the table?
First of all, I should say that in my correspondence with the Prime Minister I feel we’ve got an opportunity to continue the discussions as we look at this framework we’ve put on the table.
Now, with this framework that may be a way of bridging them. In fact, I would say that is still using the money that is coming out of the Northwest Territories, so I think that is why the discussion has been open and remains open. Hopefully, shortly after the election we will be able to move on that along with the Members of this Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t disagree with the Premier. Obviously, we need to do something. If they are moving forward with this, that is good. I just think it would be nice to know on this side of the House, especially with what I have seen and heard. It’s a billion dollar cost shared infrastructure agreement with the federal government.
Maybe I could ask the Premier this question: where is the $500 million coming from in the Government of Northwest Territories to cost share with the federal government’s $500 million?
Mr. Speaker, let’s not put numbers out there that are not factual at this point: $500 million. You talked about cost sharing, but a percentage has yet to be discussed of what level, as well, from the Northwest Territories. I talk about a partnership among the federal government, the GNWT and the private sector. There are a number of things we need to work out. It is early days on that, but we felt we needed to put that on the table and get that recognized before a call for an election happened. Then we’ve got ground to work with. So this is a framework we’re working on.
As I said, I’d be prepared to sit down and work on getting the time, together with the committee, to go over some of this. It is early days, and we felt we needed to get a marker down and establish this. As we have heard from Members of the Assembly on numerous occasions, as well as the public out there when we talk about our budgeting situation, we need to step up and get something done. Here is that opportunity, I believe, which we have created.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
