This is page numbers 1181 - 1214 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 know.

Topics

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, support the principle of the bill. I think as the Member for Mackenzie Delta has pointed out, this represents years of work and a significant amount of effort and undertaking by the Tlicho. I understand it to be the first agreement of its kind, bringing claims and self-government together.

I have to say that I haven't had much time to examine the bill, so I do look forward to having some time to have a detailed look at it. But from what I do know of the bill so far, Mr. Speaker, it probably changes the face of governance in the North. In many ways it might have been de facto by constitution making.

One thing I would like to do is compliment the Tlicho on their effort to make this agreement accessible. They've certainly raised the bar when it comes to making a complex legal document like the agreement available in plain language, and I would encourage my constituents to make sure that they have an opportunity to have a look at these documents. I look forward to discussing this bill with Members of committee and hopefully members of the public as it proceeds through the House. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't take long, we'll have a lot of chance to discuss this bill in detail, but I will rise here today to offer my support for the principle of this legislation, to the principle of this bill.

As Members have said, this will recognize the self-government and land claim aspirations and dreams of the Tlicho people. I acknowledge and admit that four years ago when I was elected, I had very little knowledge about the dreams and aspirations of this First Nation. I can say that I know a heck of a lot more today than I did four years ago, and that's due in large part to the tireless efforts of Leon Lafferty who has been quite an advocate, I must say, for this legislation and for the Tlicho people over the last four years, and has continually been down the hall to discuss progress and their aspirations and dreams with me in my office, and try to encourage me to support the legislation and to work to understand the agreement.

It's very important legislation. It is, in fact, constitutional development. I hope that this legislature and our committee will give it the respect and the full consideration that I believe it deserves, and I look forward to that process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Bill 34: Tlicho Land Claims And Self-government Agreement Act
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

October 2nd, 2003

Page 1207

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stand to support this bill. I think this bill is something that the Tlicho people are looking forward to. They've worked on it for a long time. As you know, there was a ratification vote in June where over 80 percent of the people wanted this, and that's the majority that wanted this self-government legislation to go forward. I know it's unfair of me to ask my colleagues to push it through as fast as they can, but still this is the wish of the people.

The other thing that I'd like to add is that there has been a lot of consultation out there over the 12 years. There have been draft documents that were shared with the Cabinet. Cabinet has full knowledge of all those documents that have passed through them. We've seen some of them. I've shared some of the documents with the Special Committee on Self-Government so they know what we're going to be looking forward to. But those were all just drafts. They couldn't discuss it or make decisions on it because they were just a special committee on the sunset clause, which sort of affected the self-government area, and that was one of the reasons it was put there.

So I have to say I support this and that later on today I will be seeking unanimous consent to move it into Committee of the Whole so we can speed it up as much as we can to the wishes of the Tlicho people. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Tlicho people have invested years of work and literally millions of dollars of their own money to get to where we are today. They have, on their own free will, chosen to be partners with us; partners in a public government. They could have gone exclusively aboriginal, but they chose not to. It's a choice that I think all of us should celebrate. It's an offer that we cannot refuse.

Today, every day for the next few months, the next few years we have to be conscious that we're working with partners and the Tlicho are one of our strongest partners, economically and politically. They are also partners with the Gwich'in, with the Sahtu, with the Deh Cho, with the Akaitcho and the Gwich'in people, with the Metis. They have chosen to work with us on the very same agenda that we're trying to advance, whether it's diamonds, pipeline, oil and gas, devolution or revenue sharing. These are the people that we are partnering with to advance our agendas, and we need them to continue the work that we've started.

Some of us are not as well briefed or haven't taken the time to try to understand the issues of aboriginal people, and some of us haven't taken the time to read the documents that are in front of us, the offers that are made to inform us. We have an obligation as MLAs to be well informed and to make sure that our constituents are informed as well.

I also want to remind Members that every major aboriginal initiative that has come here to this legislature has always been met in the same way. Some were supported, some of us don't know, some of us are afraid and not quite sure what it means. All of us share one need. We need to know what this government, this territory, is going to look at like in two years and in 10 years. That is something singularly lacking with all of us. Some of us think we know. Some of us admit we don't know. It's a need. Unless we develop them, unless we are able to tell our people this government is going to change, there are emerging regional governments, there are aboriginal governments, there are aboriginal people negotiating their rights as part of this aboriginal government and here's how it has changed to date and here's where we are going, people are going to be afraid. People are going to ask for time. People are going to be cautious. So the leadership that we should provide and need to provide can start right here. We can't stop what is going on. Too much has passed away.

The Inuvialuit people, over the objections of this legislature, in fact ignored the Territorial Council of the day when it went ahead and was ratified and implemented. The Gwich'in claim went and there was some caution and concern, but it went ahead and so did the Sahtu claim.

Now the Tlicho claim is in front to us. The Deh Cho process is a process that embraces public government as well. There are a lot of difficult issues to face there, but it's a process that I welcome because they choose to find a way to be part of this government. We have to believe that people out there who want to be governed are saying it's going to be even better. We in this House are part of what goes on in the communities. We have to reflect the will and the aspirations of people out there. Sometimes we do have to take a leap of faith.

We have lawyers and we get advice, we pass legislation all the time. We are not quite sure of what it all means, but we go on the faith of what we are advised. I know that everything is tied together; devolution, revenue sharing, self-government, the Tlicho agreement. People out there are watching us and wondering how we are going to treat it. I have to say I believe that we are going to do it right. This piece of legislation here is one that's gives effect, so it has already been agreed to by the Tlicho, by the Government of Canada and this government. So we do hope that the Members will recognize that people are waiting for us. We are asking the Aboriginal Summit to advance significant issues that are of great concern to revenue sharing, devolution. We are asking them to take a leap of faith. Although we don't know the answers, we don't know the specifics, we are asking to partner with us and take a leap of faith. That's the challenge.

We can't afford to slow things down because we don't know. We can take a reasonable amount of time to inform ourselves and make that judgment. It's a political judgment that may be called on for some of us and I, for one, have no difficulty at all to support and I wish to deal with this as quickly as we can. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak to the principle of the bill. I am not going to speak to the process, but again as I have previously commended the Tlicho people for bringing this vision and dream that they have to the stage where it is now. I think anybody who has been part of development in the North, will have known for some time that this has been in the works and they have brought it to a reality and I would like to commend them for that and I will support the principle of the bill. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. To the principle of the bill. The House is ready for the question.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried unanimously.

---Carried

---Applause

The motion is carried. Bill 34 has had second reading. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 34, Tlicho Land Claims and Self-Government Agreement Act, referred to Committee of the Whole.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Lafferty is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 69 and have Bill 34 referred to Committee of the Whole. Are there any nays? The chair has heard a nay. You do not have unanimous consent. Therefore, Bill 34 stands referred to a committee. The chair recognizes the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 34, Tlicho Land Claims and Self-Government Agreement Act, referred to Committee of the Whole.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta. Unfortunately, your motion to seek unanimous consent is too late. The bill has already been referred to a standing committee. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Point Of Privilege

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, on a Point of Privilege, I did make an attempt by raising my hand and you did not acknowledge me. I have shown that I did put the Table on notice that I was going to be doing a similar motion and I think that should have been passed on to yourself. So I have made the attempt and I think we should follow the procedure of the House to continue with the process and that I have an opportunity to move my motion.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

The chair is concerned over what you're raising. Are you raising a Point of Order or a Point of Privilege? Please just state your Point of Order again.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a Point of Privilege on the assumption that not enough time was given to allow for notification if there were any other motions to be dealt with and to seek unanimous consent before the conclusion of Bill 34. There should have been enough submission time to acknowledge other Members who may have had a motion at the time. I did raise my hand, but you did not make the attempt to look around the room to see if there are other people to acknowledge. So I rise on the point that not sufficient time was given for notice.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The chair did look around to see if there were any other issues to be dealt with and the chair did not recognize any other hands being put up. I am unaware of what else was done. In the chair's opinion, the procedure was followed. I was attempting to follow this systematically and I did check around and did ask twice I think Hansard will show. Then the chair had no option but to continue on with the Orders of the Day, which was seeking any further second reading of bills. That matter has been dealt with and was referred to a committee accordingly. So we will continue on. Item 18, second reading of bills.

At this time, before I proceed to the next item, I would like to ask my colleagues to direct your attention to the presence in the visitors' gallery of two very important people. The former Member for Tu Nedhe and Cabinet Minister and former Premier, Mr. Don Morin.

---Applause

I also would like to direct your attention to the presence in the Speaker's Gallery to a very important person in all of our lives, Mrs. Kate Hamilton.

---Applause

Item 19, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters; Bill 21, Protection Against Family Violence Act; Bill 22, Waste Recovery and Reduction Act; Bill 24, Midwifery Profession Act; Bill 26, Youth Justice Act; and, Committee Report 18-16(4), Report on the Review of Bill 21, Protection Against Family Violence Act, Bill 24, Midwifery Profession Act, and Bill 26, Youth Justice Act, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.

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

Page 1208

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have several items to deal with. Bills 21, 22, 24 and 26 and Committee Report 18-14(6). What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

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

Page 1208

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, looking at the time, I know we had plans to look at a number of acts today, but I suspect we will only have time to deal with Bill 26, Youth Justice Act.

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

Page 1208

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Does the committee agree?

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

Page 1208

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Page 1208

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Okay. We will take a short break and begin with Bill 26.

---SHORT RECESS