There are constitutional cases under Section 35 rights in the Constitution where there are land claims agreements that are settled in the Northwest Territories which specifically state that the Government of the Northwest Territories shall negotiate with those organizations. It’s in our land claims agreements. Yet this government is totally missing the boat when they figure they can sign an agreement between themselves and the

federal government and not have aboriginal involvement. That for me is the problem with this agreement. The way it’s being handled is the lack of aboriginal involvement in negotiating a devolution accord for the Northwest Territories and then go to the federal government in regard to that agreement. That was the understanding we had through the Dene-Metis process and the settlement of our land claims agreements.

With that, I will have questions for the Premier on this matter later.