Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about federal's Cabinet-appointed Ministers working with Indigenous peoples, and my first question to the Minister is: how does a federal review of laws and policies relate to Indigenous peoples? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member noted, the Prime Minister has announced a review of laws and policies related to Indigenous peoples by a working group of federal Ministers. My understanding is that this working group of Ministers will be responsible for the review and will examine relevant federal laws, policies, and operational practices to help ensure the federal Crown is meeting its constitutional obligations with respect to Aboriginal and treaty rights; adhering to the International Human Rights standards, including UNDRIP, the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and also supporting the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner's Calls to Action. It is also likely that there will be a focus on the Indian Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the response. My second question is: how is the department monitoring the working group's progress?
Our government has reached out to the Privy Council Office to ask if the Northwest Territories could play a role in this ministerial working group. Although it is very important for Canada to get its own house in order, we feel we have many best practices that we could share with Canada around reconciliation and working with Indigenous people.
I appreciate the response; that answered my third question. My final question for the Premier is: the Northwest Territories has successfully implemented a collaborative process for developing policy on legislation that involves input from our Aboriginal governments early on; how has this model been shared with Canada and Canadian jurisdictions?
We have certainly identified for Canada and our provincial and territorial colleagues on many innovative approaches in working collaboratively with Indigenous people in our Northwest Territories. I was recently the chair of the Aboriginal Affairs working group for two years, which involved the five national Aboriginal governments and also every province and territory, the Aboriginal Affairs ministers, which included at least eight premiers, and we certainly took advantage of that opportunity to highlight many of the leading practices that we have here in the Northwest Territories and also to speak about the positive outcomes. Because as a government I'd say, in every instant, we are way ahead of the game when providing for Aboriginal and treaty rights and certainly in legislation, when you look at the Species at Risk and the Wildlife Act, for examples, when Aboriginal governments held the pen in doing these types of legislation.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
