Debates of May 31, 2005 (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is to the Premier of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Handley. In light of the recent news reports this morning with the federal government, Cabinet and the Assembly of First Nations members meeting, it is the first time I think in history that AFN is having a meeting with the federal Cabinet in Ottawa. Would the Minister consider having something along that line, similar to our Cabinet and the aboriginal organization's governments in the Northwest Territories, within the life of this Assembly? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Our government is always open to ways of consulting with aboriginal leaders. We have the Circle of Northern Leaders; we try to be more inclusive. We also have the Aboriginal Summit where I meet with the leaders and I certainly would consider expanding it beyond just meeting with myself to meeting with all the Members of Cabinet if they want. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Premier Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Premier. I think it is really openness of the evolution of the Northwest Territories, in terms of expanding it to the different forums that we have been involved in so far. Having the suggestion as the northern governments or the aboriginal governments, is there any appetite, I guess, for having these aboriginal governments meet with Cabinet on some of the important issues that we have been talking about for the last three or four days, on the issues in our communities for the aboriginal governments? Can we be part of the Cabinet's decision? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Premier Handley.

Further Return To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I say, we are always open to meetings. We probably meet with aboriginal leaders in our government more than any other government in Canada, certainly more than the federal government. It isn't anything new for us to meet with other Members.

As far as involvement in Cabinet decisions, I think that that is a different kind of forum and not one that we could easily accommodate here, because we are making decisions on behalf of the 19 of us and to begin bringing other people into it, I'm assuming vote, would be going a bit further than what I would contemplate. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Premier Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Premier is correct in terms of our willingness to involve other northern representatives in our government. We have shown some great leadership by the Cabinet and the leader of the government here, in terms of involving the northern people in our decisions as 19 Members of the Legislative Assembly.

I guess the extra step here is to go a little further in terms of having, like the federal government, a process where we can investigate and see where can northern people, aboriginal governments….because it truly is a government-to-government relationship. Right now we have one as the territorial government, ourselves, and I'm not too sure of the aboriginal governments' status within this government here in terms of how they are being looked upon.

I once again ask the Premier would he consider having maybe a different forum, maybe a northern governments' forum that would involve all the different organizations in the Northwest Territories? There is one organization that really isn't a government, that is the aboriginal governments under the land claims. Again, would the Premier give some consideration as to how they could be involved in the Cabinet decisions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Premier Handley.

Further Return To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Again, we are always open to hearing the viewpoints from aboriginal leaders, from municipal leaders, from all of the leaders in the Territories, so I am always open to new ways of being able to consult. At the same time, we have to respect each other's differences, as well. I have often been to aboriginal leaders' meetings where I am told it is in camera and I am not welcome inside. Just wait outside until they finish the in camera meeting. It works both ways. We wouldn't want to ask the aboriginal governments to include us in their decision-making, and the same thing applies this way as well.

As a public government, we are elected to represent all the people; we have to have some periods where we would not include others in our decision-making. Having said that though, on consultation, on arriving at joint decisions through consultation, through consensus, we are open to doing that and we have done that.

Madam Speaker, I would like to just say, as well, I think a leadership role in bringing for example aboriginal leaders into the Western Premiers meeting when we held it in Inuvik, of being an advocate for getting the aboriginal members to meet with the First Ministers and with the Council of the Federation, all the Premiers, that has been our way of working in the North and we carry it even beyond our boundaries. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Premier Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the evolution of the Northwest Territories is ever changing and part of my final supplementary is to the Premier in terms of having a forum, I guess in terms of how we are creating a new territory because of the settlements of the land claims and just recently the progress that is made in the Deh Cho region. Now the other areas are also looking at the land claims. Truly government-to-government relationships would happen in terms of creating this new territory, because the land claims would give a little more jurisdiction to the settled claims, in terms of each region. I guess I am asking the Minister if he would consider having a forum that would have a truly government-to-government relationship on a new territory for us here in the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Premier Handley.

Further Return To Question 63-15(4): Consideration For Aboriginal Leaders And Territorial Cabinet Meeting

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, we will consider that. I have to say though, Madam Speaker, that we are getting so many organizations in the North that we have to look at how we do business, because I have met with community leaders who say they represent their interests, nobody else; I've met with regional leaders who say they represent theirs; I've met with the Dene Nation who say they represent everybody on a broad range of issues; I've had meetings with the Intergovernmental Forum who say they represent everyone; I've met with the Aboriginal Summit who say they represent everyone.

I think before we would add more bodies on top of that to consult with, we want to look at how do we do business together in a way that is more streamlined. Madam Speaker, I am open to it, but, at that same time, we want to look at how we are conducting all our business right now and is it the most efficient way. Thank you, Madam Speaker.