Thank you. Acting Premier, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, yes, we are aware of those treaties. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. Acting Premier, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is not a participant in those treaties. Those treaties are between aboriginal people and the Crown. We respect the interpretations of those treaties by the federal government. If there are any negotiations on those treaties, we respect the outcome of those negotiations between aboriginal people and the federal government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, there are occasions when the Government of the Northwest Territories requires an interpretation of a treaty to determine the application of a program. For some issues, there is an interpretation that both parties to the treaties agree with. However, for other unresolved issues, the federal government takes a very different interpretation than the aboriginal groups. In those cases, does the Government of the Northwest Territories adopt the federal interpretation or the aboriginal interpretation?

Thank you. Acting Premier, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, the question is broad. I would say that recently where there have been some disagreements on the interpretation of treaties, in some instances we have taken the federal government's interpretation of those treaties, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Madam Speaker, a final supplementary again to the acting Premier. Would the acting Premier agree that, in taking one side's interpretation over the other, the government is, essentially, lending its support and becoming an active participant in the treaty issue?

Acting Premier, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, as I said, the treaties cover a broad number of issues and our position might change depending on the issue at hand. For the purposes of some the acts we have, until such time as there has been a resolution of the problem between the aboriginal people and the Crown, or until the issue has been resolved in court, we have taken the lead from the federal government. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.