Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to also ask the Premier when all the chiefs of the Northwest Territories gather and if they are going to draft a motion in terms of having some serious discussions on constitutional reform, there’s land claims settlements, there’s self-government settlements negotiated, that the Premier takes the motion very seriously for our people back in our communities who are represented by the leadership of the chiefs here in terms of bringing forward to, like Mrs. Groenewegen has indicated, the Assembly so we can have discussions. These are our chiefs that are speaking about this motion.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The relationship we have with aboriginal governments we take very seriously. In fact, that is why we’ve established the regional leaders meetings that we take part in with the grand chiefs and presidents of aboriginal government across the Territory. We have a joint ability to put items on the agenda. So those discussions and motions that are made are taken seriously. There are not all times we can agree with what’s put on the table. We let them know. But we continue to try to work on best efforts to strengthen our position from the Territory. Far too many times we find ourselves at odds and not moving ahead because Ottawa continues to tell us and make decisions in the North that have long-term impacts here. We’re starting to see the fact that we need to work together and pull our resources together and have that discussion. So yes, we do take their motion seriously.
In my question to the Premier regarding the constitution issue, certainly as he said Ottawa takes a lot of resources out of the Northwest Territories. In his discussions with devolution and resource revenue sharing, that is possibly a signal in terms of the development of a constitution and protection of constitutional rights in the Northwest Territories. In his discussions with those two specific areas, is that where this government and Cabinet is looking at how we can evolve into getting stronger constitutional protection rights for the Northwest Territories where we can stand up and say yes, we are truly a partner in Canada.
The process we’re involved in exists within the framework we operate under. The NWT Act, our relationship with the federal government, this would not establish, it’s not the work of a constitutional process. It is within the existing framework that we have. If we’re going to enter into that area I think we do, as Members have stated, need to get to the table, have a discussion, work with the aboriginal leadership across the North, and see if we can come forward with a common process and understanding and who would take part, to what level, where the funds would come from, so on and so forth. That’s all very early stages. We might not have any discussion in that area. Our work is in the existing framework that we have to live with.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to the opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy; Committee Report 2-16(3), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Matters Referred to the Committee; Committee Report 3-16(3), Report on the Use of Laptop Computers and Blackberry Devices in the Legislative Assembly; Tabled Document 11-16(3), NWT Main Estimates 2009-2010; Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Historical Resources Act; Bill 3, International Interest in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act; Bill 4, Public Library Act; Bill 5, Professional Corporations Act; Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act with Mr. Abernethy in the chair.
