This is page numbers 1397 - 1454 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was tlicho.

Topics

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

That is correct, Mr. Chairman. No money from the Government of the Northwest Territories can be paid without legislative authority for appropriation. Thank you.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Clause 7. Mr. Braden.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could the Minister give some information as to the criteria that is used to determine the monetary obligations as the clause states? What are the criteria that are used to determine those obligations? Thank you.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bargery.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Bargery

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In this clause there may be some minimal financial obligations, examples of those and the reasons for this clause in there, under the dispute resolution mechanisms in the agreement we would have to pay our own costs to participate in those. Another cost that is envisioned, the GNWT would pay one-third of the cost for the cultural coordinator, about $60,000 on an annual basis. Those are two of the types of costs but there aren't many direct costs to the GNWT resulting from this agreement that aren't funded through an incremental funding agreement with the Government of Canada.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bargery. Mr. Braden.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So the kind of expenditures that are anticipated here are really quite nominal then, Mr. Chairman. We are not talking about any program dollars or capital dollars that these are really, I get the sense, quite nominal, quite small and so are the parts of the agreement. Have I got that right? Thank you.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Antoine.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Yes, Mr. Chairman. This will allow the Government of the Northwest Territories to meet our minimal financial obligation under this Tlicho agreement. It is similar to the statutory supplementary budget appropriation but it is very minimal. Thank you.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Clause 7. Mr. Dent.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, I was wondering if I could just follow up on that. How long does the agreement go with Canada, is it sort of a never-ending agreement for incremental costs or does it have a time limit?

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Bargery.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Bargery

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The agreement with Canada is a 10-year agreement, $8 million over that 10-year period, and then renegotiation, and that is a similar type of agreement then that we have with existing land claims, which are also renegotiated financing agreements.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bargery. Mr. Dent.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If in 10 years the Government of the Northwest Territories wasn't successful in negotiating a similar agreement with Canada, let's say for some reason they absolutely refuse to provide the funding, would that allow the Government of the Northwest Territories, Legislative Assembly then not to approve the funds if there was no flow through?

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Bargery.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Bargery

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The way the money will work for the $8 million over the 10 years, it would come into the GNWT and go through our budgetary process much like other land claim incremental funding agreements. There is about four or five through the main estimates. If there isn't a financing agreement at the end of that period for our ongoing costs to meet our obligations, I don't know of any other way that they could be done other than the ordinary appropriation process. I should add that we have been able to renegotiate agreements at the other tables, so we don't anticipate that problem. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bargery. Mr. Dent.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

I think that this was actually answered earlier. There is no way that this government would necessarily or they would be stuck for monies that didn't get voted by the Assembly, so I think the question has been answered but I just wanted some more detail. Thank you.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Clause 7.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Clause 8. Ms. Lee.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1444

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question on clause 8 in regard to the Tlicho tax treatment agreement and I know that this was mentioned already yesterday, but I still have some clarifications that I want to get and I do believe that this might be my last chance to do this. If I may, Mr. Chairman, I just want to express the need and the reason why some of these questions should be asked. I know that we have people in the gallery. I understand that I ask them not to take these questions as any criticism or anything like that, I hope that they understand that this is the ratification process. I hope they understand that we have not had a chance to do a wide level of consultation on this bill and this is a way to get the information out to the residents of the Territories about the work that they have done. I notice that there are negotiators in the gallery as well, and this is something that they have been working on for a very long time and it is quite complex and we need to have the information out there. My purpose in asking questions is simply that for me to understand and for me to be able to tell the people I represent about what this means. I believe that this agreement has pretty specified provisions so I think often when we don't know what is in it, there are more alarms and questions than knowing what is in it and so far it is quite straightforward.

I just want to ask a question on section 8, Mr. Chairman. Let's just go back to the Tlicho tax treatment agreement, which I understand had to be signed before the actual agreement could be initialled. It had to be done because it was required by another federal law section here and you can't help but be a little bit legalese here because we are talking about a legal document. I understand that the Tlicho government will have power to tax Tlicho citizens. Does that include people who live on the Tlicho land who might not be Tlicho citizens? Do they have the power to tax those people? Thank you.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1445

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Bargery.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1445

Bargery

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Tlicho government has direct taxation authority for Tlicho citizens who live on Tlicho land or in Tlicho communities, but it is limited to Tlicho citizens.