Thank you. The Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs is responsible for several important tasks which are within the Cabinet's strategic planning priorities. The tasks include self-government negotiations, community transfer initiatives, settlement of land claims and their implementation, devolution and intergovernmental affairs. In its O and M budget, the ministry proposes expenditures in 1995-96 of $4.2 million. Members will notice that this is an increase of $240,000 over the Minister's 1994-95 budget of $4 million.
The ministry has identified several areas in the budget where reductions are proposed in an effort to show fiscal restraint. The most significant of these are: $138,000 from the community transfer, O and M; $100,000 from grants and contributions for community transfers; and, $88,000 in the directorate.
The largest proposed increase is $400,000 which results from the added efforts required for the negotiation of self-government agreements over the next several years. The federal government has been supporting the commencement of negotiations and this government is expected to be a party to those negotiations. These negotiations, in part, will serve to shape the future of government in the Northwest Territories. The proposed increase will be used for contributions to municipalities to allow a more informed participation in self-government discussions and for salaries to hire analysts and negotiators.
An increase of $200,000 is proposed for the implementation of a grants and contributions to aboriginal organizations policy, specifically as it relates to special events. Up until this point, funding of $250,000 had been budgeted for core funding for NWT Metis locals, and no funds had been budgeted for the special events component of the policy.
Mr. Chairman, the ministry currently has 24 person years under vote 1. There are three vacancies. Of the 21 employees, ten, or 48 per cent, are "indigenous" or long-term residents and six, or 29 per cent, are aboriginal. The ministry also has six approved person years under vote 4 for the implementation of land claims.
In summary, Mr. Chairman, the Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs budget proposals reflect the political and constitutional challenges that face this government and its successor over the next few years. As Members can see in the listed definitive objectives, Mr. Chairman, the ministry has an important role in coordinating and leading the government's response to these challenges and recommending to government strategic options for the future.
Finally, in line with the ministry's responsibility for coordination of political and constitutional development activities, I would like to briefly respond to Standing Committee on Finance recommendations numbers 10 and 11 regarding the intergovernmental function of the ministry and the Ottawa office.
The first recommendation states that: "The committee recommends that the Premier ensure that sufficient resources are provided to the government's office in Ottawa to enable the government to increase its presence in the nation's capital, so as to ensure that the Northwest Territories is adequately represented in discussions regarding financial, constitutional, self-government and other important issues."
This recommendation is related to number 11 which states that: "The committee recommends that in the next government, the duties of the Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs Ministry be divided and further, that the next Premier assume responsibility for the intergovernmental affairs responsibilities."
As background, Mr. Chairman, Members should note that this government, at the beginning of its mandate, decided to merge the Aboriginal Rights Affairs Secretariat, the Devolution office and the office of Intergovernmental Affairs under a single Minister in order to implement the "comprehensive approach to political and constitutional development" which was adopted by the Legislative Assembly in 1991.
The comprehensive approach was based on the principle that the elements of political and constitutional development, including land claims; division; devolution of land, water, oil, gas and minerals; western constitutional development; aboriginal self-government; national constitutional reform; and, intergovernmental relations are all interconnected with each other and could not be dealt with in isolation.
It was agreed then that a separate Minister, and not the Premier, would assume responsibility for the ministry because of the importance of the comprehensive approach, the heavy workload associated with the ministry's responsibilities and the time commitment that would be involved in representing the Northwest Territories during the national constitutional discussions. Mr. Chairman, the Government of the Northwest Territories is not alone in having a separate Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Four provinces and the federal government have similar arrangements.
We should take note that this approach does not prevent the Premier and other Ministers from participating in intergovernmental issues. For example, the Premier represents the Northwest Territories in all western Premiers' conferences, annual Premiers' conferences and First Ministers' meetings. She is provided full support by the intergovernmental affairs branch of the ministry in preparing and attending these meetings. In addition, NWT Ministers regularly meet their provincial and federal counterparts.
Mr. Chairman, the political and constitutional work of the government is not yet completed. I believe the comprehensive approach to addressing these issues continues to be critical to their successful conclusion. Having said this, I am encouraged that standing committee Members recognize the valuable role played by the Ottawa office in representing the interests of the Northwest Territories to Ottawa. I also agree with standing committee Members that the role of the Ottawa office has evolved and expanded since its incorporation into the Ministry of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. I am committed to fully review the functions of that office and the intergovernmental affairs responsibilities of the ministry, taking into account the useful recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance, and report on that review to the Premier and Cabinet in the near future. Thank you.