Mr. Chairman, of course, we would like to reach an agreement on the Northern Accord. It should be absolutely clear. In the previous government, the Minister responsible for this file spent close to $1 million working with the aboriginal groups over a period of a year and a half to try to reach an agreement. As I recall, at least 75 percent or more or the aboriginal groups were in agreement. There was substantive agreement, I thought, at that time, to proceed. The Minister of the day, decided not to proceed, simply because he knew the federal government would refuse to proceed on that basis. It was of little use for the Minister to stand up and say he was going to proceed even though there was not 100 percent consensus and still one or two groups opposing the Northern Accord at that time. Those are the dynamics of these negotiations. Even if the entire Legislature and Cabinet of the day had decided to proceed, we would have been refused at the other end. We have to keep that in mind. Thank you.
Stephen Kakfwi on Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on February 27th, 1998. See this statement in context.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th, 1998
Page 1199
See context to find out what was said next.