Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the Arctic Policy Framework. My questions are for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, my first question to the Premier is: I would like to like to know how GNWT priorities align with the Inuit of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. The Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has a very strong working relationship with the Inuvialuit government. We have already received submissions and information from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation related to the Arctic Policy Framework. Many of the priorities of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Government of the Northwest Territories align, specifically with what the Member shared with us today. The Government of the Northwest Territories shares the Inuit Circumpolar Council's interest in sustainable economic development in northern communities and has worked with Yukon and Nunavut governments to draft the Pan-Territorial Vision for Sustainable Development in order to advocate the importance of this with Canada.
The Government of the Northwest Territories also supports international relationships and activity in the Arctic that protects the Northern people who live there and supports their culture and livelihood. Also, the Government of the Northwest Territories shares the Inuit Circumpolar Council's interest in linking environment and human health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's good to see that the GNWT is working with Indigenous governments. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken about Indigenous governments and their drive to self-determination. I would like to know what the GNWT is doing as a whole to work with Indigenous governments and governments as they build capacity towards self-determination.
Indigenous governments have told the Government of the Northwest Territories that building capacities is a priority and a challenge for them. Through the devolution agreement, the Government of the Northwest Territories has heard and responded to the needs of Indigenous governments by sharing up to 25 per cent of royalty resources with our partners for their capacity. This is unprecedented. There is no other jurisdiction across Canada that has stepped up to the plate and offered this type of capacity to their Indigenous government partners.
We are also working with Indigenous governments in other ways to build their capacity. For example, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Gwich’in Tribal Council have an MOU providing Gwich’in employees with opportunities working as Government of the Northwest Territories employees to build capacity, and we have also signed it with the federal government.
With regard to self-government, we have developed a framework so that, as these self-government agreements are negotiated, the Government of the Northwest Territories employees who move on to work with the Aboriginal governments through self-government, we have provided for successor rights. We have the NEBS, which is the Northern Employee Benefit Services, which can provide pensions for those employees who go over. Through the self-government negotiations, those specifically capacity-building and training are being negotiated through those agreements, as well.
I appreciate the response from the Premier. Mr. Speaker, decision-making in the Northwest Territories is best when Indigenous groups are involved, as we are major stakeholders. An example is the Canada/US five-year moratorium on offshore drilling.
For clarification, the Government of Canada announced that the Beaufort Sea was indefinitely off-limits to new offshore oil and gas licences, to be tested every five years by a science-based review. We have received very little information on how the science-based review will be undertaken, other than the Prime Minister has written to us and advised that Minister Bennett and Ministers Carr will be leading the review.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
