Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a question asked by Mr. Krutko on May 10, 1999, regarding designated aboriginal organizations.
Mr. Speaker, on Monday, May 10, 1999, the Member for Mackenzie Delta asked me if the Business Incentive Policy classified the ownership of a business or company as aboriginal.
Both the Business Incentive Policy and the Department of Transportation's Negotiated Contracts Policy qualify the government's procurement policies pursuant to the Contract Regulations and the Financial Administration Act. The government's procurement policies apply throughout the territory for the general public considered as all bona fide northern residents. These public policies do not differentiate between the aboriginal or non-aboriginal status of an individual or a company.
The term designated aboriginal organization is used in land claim settlements in defining the relationship and obligations between a claimant group and government. The meaning and application of the term varies from one agreement to another. The Inuvialuit Final Agreement, for instance, does not use the term. At the present time, there are just three land claim settlements in place with several others at various stages of resolution. For public policy purposes, the term, designated aboriginal organization, does not have a uniform or consistent meaning across the territory.
The government's public procurement policies are one thing and its obligations arising from land claim settlements are quite another. These are different legal and policy contexts that may cause confusion if they are mixed and should be kept separate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.