Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the sessional statement given by the Premier I was alarmed to find out that recently there had been a significant proposal offered to the federal government in regard to discussions on devolution, resource revenue sharing, seeking inclusion of Northerners, yet the proposal talks about infrastructure partnership with Canada.
Also, in regard to the integrated part, after looking at the overall devolution and resource revenue sharing deal…. That deal wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the land claim agreements that have been negotiated over the last 30 years. In the Gwich’in agreement it clearly states:
“The Government of the Northwest Territories shall involve the Gwich’in in the development and implementation of any Northern Accord on oil and gas development in the Northwest Territories which [had been] negotiated pursuant to the enabling agreement, dated September 5, 1988, between [the Government of] Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories.”
This land claim agreement has precedence over the Legislative Assembly, yet we find out again that this government is totally ignoring the land claim agreements, the aboriginal organizations who have these agreements and, more importantly, the political partnerships we say we have in place between ourselves and aboriginal governments. I spoke to the president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council, who didn’t hear anything in regard to this matter, was not consulted and was not even aware that this proposal exists.
I believe that as a government we have to do a better job of being transparent, open and up front with our so called partners. More importantly, the Members of this Legislative Assembly should not be caught off guard by a sessional statement, by a deal that is supposedly worth a billion dollars. We’re told there are going to be layoffs, there are going to be tax increases and nowhere was this put on the table.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking questions of the Premier on this matter.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
