Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I was lucky enough to witness a little bit of history, a big piece of history for the NWT. Of course, I refer to the signing of the devolution agreement-in-principle last Wednesday. I fully support the principle of devolution and I believe that it was right to sign the agreement, but I am deeply troubled by the deep divide between the GNWT and the Aboriginal governments that has resulted from this event.
This relationship break has been building for some time, Mr. Speaker, and hindsight is 20/20, but we can now see that the Premier has failed with the Regional Leaders’ Forum process. He’s failed to adequately communicate with NWT residents about the AIP. We’re left with uninformed opinions, opposing views, entrenched positions and mistrust all across the Territory. Residents and community leaders are searching for the facts, real and valid info, wanting to be reassured, to find something they can believe in. I think our people are now dazed and confused, to quote a movie title from 1993. They don’t know who to believe and they’re looking for the real answers.
Earlier this week the Premier was asked about his and the government’s plans to explain the AIP and the next steps in devolution to NWT residents. From his answers, it seems that there will be letters
to regional leaders, an info bulletin mailed out to NWT households, and advertising and info through the media. I have major concerns about this communication plan. History has proven to us that these tactics do not work.
Mr. Menicoche suggested the other day that the Premier needs to take this issue on the road, that his constituents want face-to-face communication. I could not agree more with this approach. That’s what’s missing in the Premier’s plan: the personal element. There needs to be conversation with our residents, not at them. There needs to be a travelling road show on devolution and the AIP to every one of our 33 communities. Sure, it’s a big job, a time-consuming job, but if the Premier truly believes that all parties should be at the devolution negotiations table and he truly desires to fix these broken relationships to get us out of the mess we’re in, then he will put a better communication plan in motion and he will reach out in person to our residents. He cannot wait for invitations, a part of the plan he described the other day, to go and visit leaders and communities. He must actively pursue contact with our residents eye to eye.