Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re marching towards the April 1st, 2014, deadline of completing the devolution transfer process. However, we have regions that haven’t settled their land claims and, at the same time, haven’t signed on to the Devolution Agreement. So my questions are for the Premier.
The Intergovernmental Council that’s described in the post-Devolution Agreement sets a relationship between this government and also Aboriginal governments. Will the Dehcho and Akaitcho be involved in that process in terms of the Intergovernmental Council? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The process, as laid out, is for Aboriginal governments to sign on to devolution in order to be part of the Intergovernmental Council. Having said that, we are currently under discussions with both the Dehcho First Nation and the Akaitcho First Nations to find ways to move forward and hopefully get both the Dehcho First Nation and the Akaitcho to sign on to devolution. Thank you.
Thank you. Unsettled regions are described as historical treaties and the Premier just indicated they’re making efforts to ensure that efforts are made to bring along the Dehcho and the Akaitcho with the devolution process.
Can the Premier explain the GNWT’s efforts to work with both regions to ensure they come on board on the devolution process? Mahsi.
Thank you. The grand chief of the Dehcho First Nation and myself approved a terms of reference for a small working group of senior officials to have a without prejudice discussion on ways to move forward on land issues. It’s our expectation that very soon we’ll be able to approach both of our leaderships to see if we can find common ground to move forward. My principal secretary met with some of the leaders of the Akaitcho First Nation to see if we can work together to set up a similar process.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The land claims and self-government processes are basically predicated by federal government policy including, just to name perhaps two, the comprehensive land claims policies and the inherent rights to self-government.
What guide and policy does the GNWT take into consideration when engaging First Nations on lands, resources and self-government arrangements?
As a government, we have approved mandates that guide our negotiations on comprehensive land claims. We have also approved the inherent right to self-government and we have our own mandates and policies and guidelines that we adhere to.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Premier perhaps give us an indication of a timeline when those groups that haven’t signed on to the devolution process may come to the table?
As the Member knows, we are guided by the Constitution of Canada, and the Constitution of Canada provides for comprehensive land claims. As I said many times in the House, the Dehcho First Nations and the Akaitcho First Nations both don’t believe the written versions of the treaties. They believe the oral version of the treaties. That is what has complicated the negotiations.
Now, both processes involve land, and lands are big issues. As part of the final agreement on devolution, we have a process whereby there is up to one year after the implementation date for an Aboriginal government to sign on, and there are also financial considerations for which the Government of Canada is paying; things like waste sites. There is also money for implementation, and those funds will drop off after one year because the Government of Canada doesn’t want to continue to carry those forward as liabilities. On our part, if after a year those financial considerations by the Government of Canada fall off, I think it’s incumbent on us, if the Aboriginal governments sign on after one year. Obviously, our government’s objective and preference would be to have all Aboriginal governments sign on to land claims or sign on to devolution and that’s what we’re working towards.
