Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 46, Deline Final Self-Government Agreement Act, be read for the second time.
This bill approves, gives effect to and declares valid the Deline agreement, which is a self-government agreement among the Sahtu Dene and Metis of Deline, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada.
This bill also gives effect to the Deline Tax Treatment Agreement, which is an agreement in relation to the tax treatment of the Deline Got’ine Government.
This bill provides for the legal recognition of the Deline Agreement, the Deline Tax Treatment Agreement and laws made by the Deline Got’ine Government.
Finally, this bill also provides for consequential amendments to the Waters Act and for the repeal of instruments pertaining to the establishment of the Charter Community of Deline.
I also request a recorded vote on this historic day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand proudly to second this bill and thank my colleagues from the other side to allow this to happen.
I do want to say, in keeping with the spirit of the Deline Got’ine people, that what they have done is historical. The visions of the people are coming to realization. We don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s because of the elders in their wisdom and the guidance of us young leaders that they tell us how to go about and how to live our life. Sometimes we don’t quite understand from our culture, but our elders have guided this team for over 18 years or longer to this place here. You are setting a government, a model, for all of the other communities to look at. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but you stuck together and you worked as one, one people, one vision, one voice. It is like you’re drumming. Sometimes our songs are not quite the same until you play for a long time together and then it comes to be one song, one drum beat, and that’s what the Deline people have done. They worked hard together. This is for their children now to take these tools and for this government to work.
In life you have to negotiate what you want and you stick strong to your beliefs, strong to your faith. It takes all kinds of people, governments, our government, the federal government. There are people that are no longer with us who are in another world who we think about.
So I want to say to the Deline leadership, to the negotiators, to our negotiators, to the federal government negotiators and to the people of the Northwest Territories that anything worthwhile is not easy. Anything good like this is very, very difficult, very, very hard. Like an elder said, “Whoever said life was easy, come over and tell me that. I want to talk to that person who said life was easy.” Then they talk to that person.
So for the Deline government, you’ve done it, you’ve shown people, you’re the trailblazers, there’s hope for our people. You’ve given us hope. Twenty years ago we never thought this would be possible.
So I want to say again, thank you very much to the Members of the Assembly here for this historical day, going through this process. You have done it, you have set the trail for us, you have set the standards. God bless you. Work hard as you continue to make your government strong, make it strong for your young grandchildren, their children and all your people.
In closing, continue to listen to your elders and to your prophets. It will be a good life. So, mahsi cho. It is a good day today, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the principle of the bill, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of Bill 46 and I’d like to extend my congratulations to the Deline Got’ine First Nations as they see one of the final steps in their self-government negotiations. I do want to say that when I visited there, they’re only building on their prophets and what they want for their people. I wish them every success as they exert their independence and yet they can still exist in this great Northwest Territories of ours. All they’re seeking is to better the lives of their people and control of their future.
Once again, I want to extend my congratulations and mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the principle of the bill. Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too stand here in support of the Deline Got’ine people.
Back in 2008 as I worked with the Gwich’in on their self-government agreement, I recall the negotiators saying that the Deline people have decided to have a stand-alone agreement. That is the first agreement in this territory, much like the people in the Yukon who have this style of community government. It is working in the Yukon. I see a great opportunity for the Deline people.
I believe that this process that they have set up was the right decision for their community and I look forward to the progress that they make. I’d just like to congratulate them. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. To the principle of the bill, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise, too, in support of the bill. I’d like to congratulate the people from the Sahtu for this long haul. I’ve been in a leadership position and it’s not an easy task. But what’s very inspiring is having your elders there with you along the way and it’s very important that you carry along with you your elders, their involvement, at the same time, their wisdom, their patience, and at the same time showing us the humility in terms of not knowing everything, but trying to learn from them as well. So it’s a very important path that you’ve taken. I congratulate you. It’s a proud moment for the people of the Sahtu, of Deline and I wish you well, and I’ll be in full support of this legislation. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the principle of the bill, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it’s really important to express how important this issue is, I guess I’d say it that way. This is really a hard, a long path that has finally come to fruition and I am certainly excited to see it happen for the people of the Sahtu. The Deline Self-Government Agreement has my support and my heartfelt congratulations for the many hours, many days, many years that the people have struggled through to bring this together to where it is today.
Their future is in their hands right where it belongs. They will join other governments such as the Tlicho Government who we have all seen move forward with great success in managing and cutting the trail for their people with their vision on getting things done. They have fought for this respect and they have rightly earned it and they are getting it here today. I congratulate them for this.
The Deline Final Self-Government Agreement Act is one for the history books. I was actually quite touched, believe it or not, to hear when the Premier read it into the record that the MLA for the Sahtu is seconding it. It’s not a usual practice, but it represents not only how important our Assembly is through consensus government but it also marks the moment in time the Sahtu helped play a role in this and this Assembly took special note of that.
I want to finish by saying, as a young boy who has grown up here in the North, I can tell you how deeply important the vision of all elders are from every region. I may have grown up in the Deh Cho, but I know your elders are so important to the vision and provide the strength and the future of the youth. I have no doubt that the Deline Self-Government Agreement will do that.
Again, my heartfelt congratulations and my wholehearted support.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the principle of the bill.
