Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since 1969, our federal partners have tried to resolve the land management of the East Arm area of the Great Slave Lake with little success. In the wake of acquiring devolution powers as of April 1, 2014, I’m surprised our government has been silent on its progress.
Understanding the sensitivity to some on this topic, my wish is to only start a spirited dialogue of reasoning and the guiding principles of equal rights, equity and fairness for all who share this land. Are there alternatives to the existing stalemate of a national park program that could be looked at for a better management plan regarding a special area, for promoting land use, for a bigger role in getting youth on the land, to strengthen language and culture and to enshrine conservation from a Dene perspective? I believe there are.
Similar to the initiative being proposed in the East Arm with the Lutsel K’e Dene Nation wishing to create the Thaidene Nene National Park, so too are the recent success stories of the Dehcho First Nations with their Protected Area Strategy for the Horne Plateau, Horne River, Mills Lake and Willow Lake River.
The Dehcho First Nations has showed us a made-in-the-North strategy where local monitoring and regular management are carried out by local Ne Hotkee Deneh, watchers of the land, to make sure these areas are kept sacred, green and clean.
At the core of its success is knowing the stewardship is being done from here rather than Ottawa. I applaud the Dehcho First Nations for applying such a made-in-the-North approach using northern tools and recognizing these protected areas as considered unique and special to all the people of the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, we can learn from success. Our solutions are embedded in the desire for all parties to find a made-in-the-North solution and approach with the guiding principle of equity and fairness for all users.
I ask nothing more than a positive dialogue with Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation, YKDFN, the Metis, local residents and this government to proceed with confidence, especially knowing now there’s a pause from the federal government from progressing further.
We have been given a golden opportunity to take the lead initiative as we evolve with new devolution authority. My hope that with the proper use of northern tools, an alternative to the national park for land management of the East Arm area can progress with the proper framework agreement or an agreement-in-principle with affected stakeholders prior to the end of our legislative sitting.
I will have questions today for the Minister of ENR. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
