Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the same thought of the AIP and the draft agreement that has been put forward for consideration by us as Members, by leadership out there in our regions, by aboriginal governments, Mr. Speaker, the AIP, the agreement-in-principle that the Premier and Deputy Premier will travel to Edmonton to discuss with aboriginal leaders and regional leaders tonight. When we leave here, they will go down there. Mr. Speaker, will the signing of that agreement conclude our negotiations or is this just the beginning? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It will not conclude the discussions. In fact, I believe it will be the place for those future discussions and concerns that are being raised since the airing by CBC of the draft agreement-in-principle that it allows, in fact, to bring closure to those concerns that are being raised.
It is a continuation process. It is not the final step in decision-making. In fact, I believe the future Government of the Northwest Territories and the future aboriginal governments within a number of years will have to make a final decision as to that final agreement that would have to come forward. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, by the signing of the agreement-in-principle -- which is exactly what it is called, as the Premier has described -- put us as Northerners in a better position to put some detail and some real parameters to what we will have as a government when devolution and resource revenue... We can talk about it now at this stage. We can talk about it after the agreement-in-principle is signed. What is the advantage of the agreement-in-principle in terms of our relationship with Ottawa and seeing some advancement on this agreement? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I think the history would show that there are a number of times in the history of the Northwest Territories that we knew and grew up with that the governments, aboriginal and public government, have come to a place -- sometimes it has been just aboriginal governments -- of a decision needing to be made. There has been much reference at times to the Dene-Metis comprehensive process, the Northern Accord. Those got to the place, I believe, where the AIP is now, but never got the ratification to go the next step. They were referred to many times, but there was no vote to say yes, we will go forward on this basis. There were discussions. There were memorandums of intent, but never got beyond that. That is the place we are today with this AIP. It is the process we would go to the final set of negotiations and then a final decision being made by the governments of the North, aboriginal and public. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, embarking on a regime and on an agreement with Ottawa of this magnitude, of this significance, of this importance to the people of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if, when he attends this meeting tonight, he will extend to all leaders of governments of the Northwest Territories the sentiment and respect of this House that we are concerned about moving forward together with a unified voice and extend to them the message that we are mature enough that we should trust each other enough to be able to embark on this thing that has been sought for so long. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, absolutely. As I meet with the aboriginal leadership this evening, we will express the fact that we want to continue to work together with an approach that is focused from the North for Northerners. Right now there are many examples, even in a statement earlier today, about decisions being made in Ottawa that have a direct impact on Northerners; the work on regulatory reform by the special negotiator named by a Minister in Ottawa. Those things are ongoing today and will affect land claims as they are written. We are working on a process together to say, let’s go hand in hand, arm in arm and move forward on this agreement-in-principle where, for example, Chapter 6 was jointly written by aboriginal governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
