Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and one of the options we can look at to get feedback from the public through a plebiscite in regard to the devolution agreement that was signed by the Government of the Northwest Territories and federal government, also to try to get input from the general public. I know we’re putting a lot of advertisements out there, there are radio announcements and whatnot, but again it’s how do you measure the public insight into this issue. I’d like to ask the Premier if he has considered the possibility of having a plebiscite on this issue at this fall’s general election.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We haven’t considered a plebiscite as part of the general election. I’m not too familiar with the territorial plebiscite process. I know we do have them for different parts of our legislation. For example, under the Liquor Act in our communities, that type of thing. I’m not sure on the territorial side, but we haven’t given it consideration as our signing of the agreement-in-principle begins the negotiation process towards a final agreement.
Again, we do have a Plebiscite Act in the Northwest Territories and it is being administered by the Chief Electoral Officer who is in charge of the election which will take place this fall. By having these two events taking place simultaneously, I think it’s important that we do get feedback from the general public on this important policy and political issue in the Northwest Territories. I think it’s important that we do allow the public to give us a sense of exactly where they stand on this issue. I know as politicians sometimes the only time we seem to get direction is during an election. I think this also gives the public an opportunity to have a say on this important issue. Again I’d just like to ask the Premier and his Cabinet colleagues if they will consider that as one of the options to get feedback in regard to the announcements and the important issue of devolution in the Northwest Territories.
It’s difficult to come up with a response or an answer that would be clear on this, because the fact is, as we’ve signed the devolution agreement to begin the process of negotiations towards a final agreement, I guess looking at the future as towards a final agreement is that something that can be considered at the time, I think the government-of-the-day would have to have a look at that. Our process in this fall election... What would a question be? The fact is we have signed an agreement and we’re beginning the process towards negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, just on the issue of what the question should be, I just sort of wordsmithed a little bit of that in regard to: Do you agree the Government of the Northwest Territories have signed the Northwest Territories lands and resources devolution agreement in January 2007? Do you agree or disagree? Yes or no?
Again, the process I can see is we usually in plebiscites are seeking direction going forward on something and we have signed the agreement-in-principle. We are beginning the work of preparing for negotiations, where the advertisements, as the Member has spoken to, are to get information on the AIP out to the public for direction going forward. I guess that is something to be considered by a future government as a final agreement and should the GNWT sign depending who’s all at the table, in a sense. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, a plebiscite is to get feedback from the general public in regard to how they perceive a particular issue such as devolution. I know we’re spending $16,000 on radio announcements, we’re spending a lot of money on full-page ads. We’re doing all the advertising out there so how do we get the feedback from the public in regard to how do they see a particular issues? Do they support it? Don’t they? I’d like to ask the Premier, in order to allow the public to give us that feedback, would you consider an option such as a plebiscite?
The processes we have available to us both as the Members of the Assembly and, of course, from the Executive side and looking at the devolution process, one, we count on feedback from Members of the Legislative Assembly, when they go back home to their constituencies, to provide feedback on that level. As well, from our departmental workings with Aboriginal governments and groups across the Northwest Territories, we seek their input from time to time on whether it’s a piece of legislation or a piece of policy work. The way we’re doing it now, providing information out there, again, from a plebiscite side of things, is it to ask about should we have signed it. The fact is we have signed it. I would say maybe more forward looking a government-of-the-day could ask the question of the people should we agree to a final agreement once we know what it might look like. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
