Mr. Chairman, the process of implementation is one where we have the duty to implement and it falls squarely on our shoulders. We’re working to do that. For example, Species at Risk and the Wildlife Act, as the Member has highlighted, have been a challenge for previous governments to try to do that. In fact, previous governments had provided funds to the aboriginal organizations and governments so that they could take part in an activity in trying to bring those around to completion. Thankfully, in October the Minister of ENR brought forward his legislation, received first and second reading for the Species at Risk Act and that is now in the hands of the Assembly and committee. For the Wildlife Act a similar working group was structured to get the Species at Risk Act to its place so it could move forward. They’ve used the same model now, and in January they held their first meetings with the parties at the table. Hopefully, as was identified by the Minister of ENR, he would have at least a document for tabling for this Assembly through that process.
The area of forestry is another one where the Member is right. There is a working group and agreements in place that deal with Forest Management Plan that apply on Crown lands and in Gwich’in settlement lands and through the Gwich’in Tribal Council is part of that advisory committee that looks after that section of how that goes and the work that’s being done.
Overall, the GNWT, yes, across the North has had difficulties with the whole forest management issue for quite a number of years, but the committees are in place and working within a specific area. The Gwich’in Territorial Park is another one where, yes,
there are issues there. A memorandum of agreement was signed back in 1991 so that any work done on that park was going to be done with the Gwich’in forces and if that’s not being done, we’re going to have to remind the appropriate departments that there’s an agreement in place and that those contracts should fall to the parties or the own forces of the Gwich’in when it comes to that piece of the work that needs to be done.
There are a number of areas that are outstanding, that work is continuing and at times it’s out of our hands in the sense the federal government has a big part to play. But we continue to work on those, and the ones we have an agreement on within the implementation committees are moving ahead. I would say because where there are no outstanding processes at the implementation committee doesn’t mean there are other issues that still need to be ironed out between the parties. Thank you.