Mr. Speaker, today I brought up my Member's statement in regards to the discussions on offshore drilling moratorium. I'm just wondering where's the with the Premier, where does it stand right now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the moratorium on the Western Offshore Ocean was actually called unilaterally by Canada in 2016. At that time, the Premier of the day called a red alert, which caused a lot of contention in the NWT. Since then, we were promised that they would do that Western Arctic Offshore Accord. We've had 24 meetings since April 2019 to May 2022. We were also promised that we'd be able to take part in the fiveyear sciencebased review of the moratorium. So we're looking forward to the results of that and hoping that the federal government will sit down with us and talk about their findings in that sciencebased review. That work is still to be finished, and now we're in the process of signing an accord.
I do want to say, Mr. Speaker, it's important that Canada work with us on this. It's right in our devolution agreement, section 3.2 of the devolution agreement has a commitment for Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories, with the participation of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, to commence negotiations for the management of oil and gas resources in the Beaufort Sea and other northern offshore areas. So it's important that Canada work with us on this work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Government of the Northwest Territories and IRC cooperating and collaborating to strengthen their position with the federal government, and where does the GNWT stand on the offshore drilling and when will the people in my riding see the moratorium lifted? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, yes, we're working very closely with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. The moratorium, the discussions, the offshore accord, the sciencebased review, were to be done in partnership with the Yukon government, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and the governments of the Northwest Territories, with Canada of course. Since that time, though, we've also got engagement from the premier of Nunavut who is also interested in the work that's happening. So we are working together, all of us, to make sure that the interests of the North will be protected because when the moratorium was first enacted in the NWT, we lost jobs, we lost potential, and I am concerned that the Beaufort Delta needs to have an economy. So I will continue that work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm really happy for that. I'd like to thank our government for that work that they're doing with the federal government to lift this get this moratorium lifted but making sure it's done right in regards to on a goforward before it's lifted and letting our people advance notice, because we do want jobs in our riding and we do need that and we do need to take care of our own.
So, Mr. Speaker, my last question, how did, with the GNWT working with Canada and the Inuvialuit, support and advance the opportunities in the Arctic Ocean? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, I think it's important that the GNWT work with all Indigenous governments and specifically around the moratorium the oil and gas reserves that are and the LNR that's in the Beaufort Delta. We need to be supporting that work as we go through.
I'd like to say, Mr. Speaker, that the most critical thing that I've been saying to Canada all along is the importance to work with us, nothing about us without us. It's important as the Member has said that the people of the Beaufort Delta have a say in what's happening with the offshore drilling. And although I recognize that Canada does have the power to make a unilateral decision, Mr. Speaker, as I've said to the prime minister it's not about who has the power, it's how we decide to use that power. And I will continue to carry that message. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.
