Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier. Can the Premier explain to me how the GNWT is moving forward on implementing UNDRIP in spite of noncommittal federal direction and little action? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I would think that that priority is actually going along quite well. I've said since the beginning that the biggest thing within the United Nations Declaration is it's about Indigenous people and Indigenous people should take the lead.
We also have a special committee from the Speaker's Committee that has Members of Cabinet and the Regular Members. The chair of that comes to our meetings with Indigenous governments. And the Member did say that I have often referred to the relationship with Indigenous governments and the federal government in a triangle. I don't believe I would have used "triangle." It's threeheaded and it can turn and it's always got a top. I would say it more as an equal partnership is what I've always used, or even a circle, that we all have equality within that.
So we've done a lot. The Indigenous governments didn't wait. I know that the special committee would have loved to have been able to give more direction, but the Indigenous governments knew it was theirs.
So we formed three tables. We always had the Intergovernment's table. We now have the Council of Leaders table. Every Indigenous government's part of that. That committee has a working group. Every Indigenous government has representation on that working group. The GNWT is one member of that working group. They are moving forward with developing legislation, developing. But they have said it's not on this time of this Legislative Assembly; it's on their time. And they've also said, as the Member alluded to, is that what's the use of legislation if things don't change. So I've heard that clearly, and there's much work going on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to go check Hansard because I'm pretty sure I've heard triangle somewhere there before.
I'm glad to hear that things are moving forward, and I will give the Premier kudos that I have heard from Indigenous leaders they do feel that there is a lot more discussion happening than there has been in the past.
My question is around last session I was asking about the investigations into the graves of the residential schools, and the Premier indicated that that work needed to be led by Indigenous governments and organizations, which I agree with. So could the Premier provide some details on where that work is at with Indigenous organizations and governments, and when we could expect to see some of that work starting? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure if that's on the same line of questioning as the United Nations Declaration but I will say that I have put my name out there and said to the Indigenous governments that I will stand by them on what their definition what they want to do with that.
My understanding is that the Dene Nation is taking the lead on that and, again, we're willing to stand behind them and work with them as they see fit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't argue with the Premier why I think that's important for UNDRIP, but I would imagine that others could probably provide some information on that.
What funding has the GNWT identified or committed to spending towards the implementation of UNDRIP? If the GNWT is committed to making missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls a priority, why has no funding been dedicated? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wouldn't say that no money hasn't been allocated. We haven't defined what it would be yet; they're still looking at it. But we have spent money internally. We have the Indigenous Council of Leaders that meets regularly. We pay for all of those leaders to come into the capital and we pay for their accommodations; we pay for their expenses to be able to take part in those meetings. So at this point other than, like I said, they're looking at codeveloping legislation for the United Nations Declaration. Until that's done, we haven't identified any extra money that we need other than getting them together in the workshops and the groups that we're doing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary, Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The point of dedicated funding is that it's actually set aside for that priority, and so I guess my point being is I'd like to see a pot that's actually for that work.
Moving on, the timeline on their website says that an implementation plan will be completed in the summer of 2022. Does that mean that nothing is going to be done any further until that time? Are we going to be waiting for another year to see action happening? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do need to make sure that the Indigenous governments know that I'm standing up for them and that I do not believe that nothing has happened. I believe that a lot of work has happened on that initiative. Other than the Mineral Resources Act, this is the first time that we are working together strong, meeting regularly to co-developing a legislative act with them. And this is the first time, in the history of the territorial government, that we brought all the leaders together as the Council of Leaders to be able to do this work. So I would say a lot has happened, and we will continue to move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.
