Thank you. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 193-20(1) and Bill 15 and would like to report progress with two motions carried that Bill 15 is ready for third reading and that consideration of Tabled Document 193-20(1) is concluded in the House and concur that those estimates and that the -- and the appropriation bill to be based thereon be introduced without delay. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Can I have a seconder, please. Member from Sahtu. What was that, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake? You thought it was a good decision? Thank you. Thank you. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Motion carried.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.4(10) and have the Speaker put Bill 15 on the orders of the day for third reading. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has asked for unanimous consent to move Bill 15 onto the orders of the day. Any nays? Seeing no nays. You may proceed.
Let's go back to that; somebody wants to go out trick or treating. Okay, let's get going here. Third reading of bills. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Mr. Speaker, I move, second by the honourable Member from Hay River North, that Bill 15, Northwest Territories Indigenous-Led Conservation Fund Establishment Act, be read for the third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member. The motion's in order. To the motion. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to rise in support of this piece of legislation. Bill 15 represents a very important relationship that this government has with First Nations and Indigenous governments across the territory. This bill will establish trust that will allow around half a billion of dollars of money to flow into the Northwest Territories for a whole bunch of purposes around conservation, Indigenous guardian programs, economic development, and the list does go on; it's quite exhaustive. And I think one other thing that's very remarkable is the speed at which the legislation's moved through which shows the strength of our institution that we are able to move quickly when things need to get done. And I commend the Minister for bringing this forward. I commend the Cabinet for bringing this forward and getting it done so quickly. And we've had very patient guests in the gallery, many dignitaries from Indigenous governments who are very passionate about this legislation, and I'm glad we could work through this today as an Assembly and make it worthwhile for your time you've put into our proceedings today. So thank you, again, to the Minister, to the Cabinet. And I will be supporting this legislation.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. To the motion. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I also support this bill. First and foremost, because I support self-determination of Indigenous governments. And I support Indigenous governments taking the lead on taking care of their own lands and resources. I know that this bill has followed an unusual process, unusual path, but I also recognize that we're still in the process of charting a new path of co-governance with governments, and there needs to be some give and take on all sides, and I hope we will get to a place where we have better procedures where we can all work together comfortably in this process of co-governance. But I'm proud today that we have done something that can provide a vehicle that will allow Indigenous governments to have the resources they need to move forward with taking care of the land. So I wholeheartedly support this and look forward to where this initiative takes us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member from Yellowknife North. To the motion. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting this Bill No. 15 in consultation with the leadership that I represent and the dialogue we've had. I'm happy to support it. Mahsi.
Member from the Sahtu. To the motion. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too stand up and rise and give support to Bill 15. This is something that is really much needed for our communities. But at the same time, Mr. Speaker, this Bill 15 is on the road to looking at a constitutional reform. And I'm hoping that this bill will rise with the Council of Leaders as well as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. To the motion. Member from Range Lake.
I won't take much time. Obviously, anybody who knows me and followed my campaign and followed me here, I'm in full support of Indigenous governments and am in full support of reconciliation. This one, Mr. Speaker, is a no-brainer. I commend the Cabinet and the Minister for bringing it forward and has my full support. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's been a long day, so I'm not going to stand and make a long speech about this one but just wanted to also express my support for this. I echo some of the comments made by my colleagues about reconciliation and self-determination which are things that matter to me and I support. Happy to support this. Looking forward to seeing that it brings resources into the territory that we haven't had previously for First Nations to move forward with not just conservation but realizing the benefits of conservation of their land. So happy to support it. I think it is an act of reconciliation by the House, and it's certainly something I that support. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. To the motion. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unlike -- I'm going to use all my 20 minutes. No, no, I'm kidding. It's been a long day. No, I won't be using my 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I too want to rise in favour of this initiative. I've spoken to some of the leadership. I certainly like the intent. It was sold to me on the initiative. It's a great investment of new dollars. We should not overlook the fact that this brings not only federal government dollars to empower Indigenous organizations and groups, but peoples and families and help protect our environment. This is all good stuff, Mr. Speaker.
The one thing of note, though, I would say that this -- it shouldn't go past, and I know we're all pretending it didn't but, you know, I think it's important that we remind ourselves how we went through this process, how we need to work closer together. And, you know, I was never a believer that this wouldn't get to this point in the sense of succeed but, you know, there are -- you know, like all legislation challenges, there's ups and downs. And I would say that I think ILI did their part, and I certainly say the government, you know, could have warmed up with us a little sooner on some of the information and -- but the Members, I think, did their heavy lifting and our due diligence as are required by all, and so I'm glad that we got it through. And I -- from what I understand, this works with your hoped timeframes. And the important part is to stress, as I finish, Mr. Speaker, is, you know, the Assembly needs to be and wants to be partners with these folks as well, and these governments, these peoples, and these initiatives. So it's a lot to all bundle together, but the -- lastly is it's a great thing. Thank you.
Member from Yellowknife Centre. To the motion. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am -- I do support this bill as well. I am pleased. I know that there's a lot of people are going to benefit from it in NWT. I know everyone's going to benefit from it. So I am pleased to see the good working relationship between the Cabinet and Indigenous government which we never had before. So it's -- so we are making progress. So I am quite pleased about that. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. The Member has asked for a recorded vote. To the Member from Thebacha. To the debate.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that a lot of the tremendous words from my colleagues here in this House have certainly relayed the message of the importance of this initiative and how beneficial it will be to the territory.
I would be remiss if I did not stand up here and thank my colleagues in this House for their tremendous amount of work. I know this was a difficult process that was not the norm. We asked a lot of the Regular Members and Cabinet to move this forward at the pace in which we did. And for that, I'm truly thankful.
I also would like to recognize the amount of work that went into this initiative from ILI, from the Indigenous governments, from the GNWT, from all of the staff that were involved to get this through today. And I'm -- truly, I stand up here with a lot of pride to be part of this group of Northerners, both in this House and up in the gallery and in the communities and watching around the NWT, to sit here and be able to say that we accomplished this. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. To the motion.
Question.
The Member from Thebacha. The Member for Yellowknife South. The Member for Kam Lake. The Member for Hay River North. The Member for Hay River South. The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. The Member for Nunakput. The Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. The Member for Sahtu. The Member for Yellowknife Centre. The Member for Range Lake. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. The Member for Monfwi. The Member for Frame Lake. The Member for Great Slave. The Member for Mackenzie Delta. The Member for Yellowknife North.
All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand. Thank you. All those in favour, 17. Those opposed, zero. Abstentions, zero. Bill 15 has passed.
---Carried
Before we get onto this, I would like to actually thank Dahti Tsetso that started two and a half years ago where she sat there and looked at me and went you want me to do what in this timeframe? Thanks to her leadership, the Indigenous governments' leadership, last year's Cabinet, and this year's Cabinet, for getting this done. And I look forward to the success we are moving forward. So thank you very much and, again, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orders of the day for Friday, November 1st, 2024, at 10 a.m.
Prayer
Ministers’ Statements
Members’ Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to the Commissioner’s Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Motions
Motion 45-20(1), Extended Adjournment of the House to February 5, 2025
Notices of Motion for the First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Report 17-20(1), Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly
Committee Report 18-20(1), Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Interim Report on the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Administration of the 2023 Territorial General Election
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Friday, November 1st, 2024, at 10 a.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 6:46 p.m.
