Mr. Speaker, I would like to continue on this theme of devolution and resource sharing negotiations. I want to start by just noting that where there is a vacuum — that is, no information — false information will be developed. So it would be nice to get those vacuums filled.
My first concern is aboriginal governments. Like it or not, we do share governance with them. Which aboriginal governments and claimant groups were contacted by the Premier, and what was their response in this round?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.
Mr. Speaker, the initial contact was by phone with me and a number of the leaders. I left a message for others I could not get hold of. We follow up with a letter just as we are sending our package out. We’ve got some correspondence, as well, at the regional table we set up; we’ve been discussing the file ongoing.
I know, for example, the Akaitcho group are saying they’ve got their own process. They do not want to be involved in this, in fact, and wish us to not have any further discussions on devolution and resource revenue sharing. The Sahtu is undergoing some of their own work and looking at the numbers we provided. I believe their work confirmed, in fact, what our numbers were stating.
We have other groups that are prepared to move on it; for example, the Gwich’in, the Inuvialuit. The Sahtu have taken a step back from their original position. The Northwest Territories Métis have also been supportive of this initiative. The Deh Cho is a group that is again saying they are involved in their own process. They want to complete that and feel they need to do that before they can support any initiative of the GNWT.
The problem is that if the Government of the Northwest Territories is dealing with all levels of programs and services in all the regions — whether it is health care, education or economic development — without additional resources, we’re going to leave self-government as they take over operations. When they do finally settle their claims, they’re going to take over operations that are burdened with a heavy load, and that’s the problem of continuing to wait.
Thank you for those comments. I want to state that I am the first one to recognize we have an extremely complex situation here, and a bull in a china shop is obviously not the right approach. We need to be very sensitive here.
Has the Premier assured these aboriginal governments that this process will in no way impinge upon their ability to negotiate their own devolution of resource revenue agreements as part of their self-government negotiations and land claim settlement negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, as past Assemblies have, this government also stands by the fact that we as the Government of the Northwest Territories will not interfere in the sense of what they negotiate for authorities from governments, whether it’s the federal government or existing programs and services that we deliver. We are involved in those negotiations. We will continue to honour those tables and work forward.
Quite simply, Mr. Speaker, whether it comes to the GNWT at a stage and then goes under self-government when those agreements are finally signed, those are all part of the process. I think we need to recognize the fact that we are not trying to take it over as the GNWT, to take it forever. We are trying to just bring that authority north, and then once the further self-government discussions are completed, the areas that were successfully negotiated would be passed on.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that when the Premier was Minister of Finance, he made a commitment to look into getting some of these windfall profits that are happening from oil resources of the Northwest Territories as the price of oil has soared. The federal government is now accumulating hundreds of millions of dollars, for example, from Norman Wells. Is that going to be in or has it entered into this process? Will that be profiled? Is this an opportunity to deal with that situation so we get some immediate gain here?
Mr. Speaker, the Member has hit on a very key area. I think that when we look at the royalties that are being taken out of the Northwest Territories right now in today’s existing agreements, we would say that those dollars could be flowed back through an infrastructure program to meet the needs of the Northwest Territories. That is the approach we are taking.
Now, the federal government has always stated that Norman Wells — the oil, the pipeline out of that community — is not a royalty; it is an equity. Well, we are saying it is money one way or another that flows out of the Northwest Territories. We need to work on that initiative together.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. A final short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you again for those comments. One last question: could the Premier outline the role he sees this side of the House playing and how he intends to involve us as representatives of the people in this process in a meaningful and timely way?
Mr. Speaker, through our whole process we have established, whether it is budgeting, finding new revenues, sitting down with committee to give ideas of where we can go…. Those options are there. In fact, as I stated earlier, I am seeking time with the committee to sit down and have more discussion about the proposal, the framework that has been forwarded. Hopefully, we will have that very soon, and we will continue with those discussions.
Now, there has been lots of discussion on the devolution package that has been on the table. It would be sort of an update of where that is, plus this idea of this new framework.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
