Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to comments made by the Premier in regard to his opening remarks, and more importantly, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. Again, I think the whole objective of the Aboriginal Affairs is to bring together our northern partners, especially the Aboriginal community and Aboriginal leadership and work with them to basically include them in our processes as government, not only from the Aboriginal claims perspective but the responsibilities we have as a government and as the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, but I think sometimes we lose sight of the Aboriginal Affairs component of this department. I think that because we do now have constitutional obligations, regardless if it’s under Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution, the
land claims agreement that has been ratified and signed, but more importantly, the motion that we passed in this Legislative Assembly acknowledging the Government of Canada’s reluctance to sign in regard to the UN Declaration in recognition of the Aboriginal indigenous rights of people in the world, and now that agreement has finally been signed by Canada. I think, from what we’ve seen here in the Northwest Territories, that we are not really living up to the obligation and commitments that we make either by motions that are passed unanimously in this House or even obligations we have under the land claims agreements, which clearly stipulate that this government has a right to consult and not simply saying that we had a meeting 10 times with northern leaders, but it’s clearly spelled out in the land claim agreements in regards to what the definition of consultation is.
I think that through the federal courts have shown that it’s got to be meaningful and it’s got to allow for full participation in the whole consultative process and not simply bilateral by way of someone coming to you saying this is what I’m going to do, I consulted with you, and walk out of the room. This process has to be meaningful, and more importantly, live up to the obligations under the land claim agreements.
For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why the Department of Aboriginal Affairs did not catch on to the land claim agreements, especially in the area where it clearly stipulates that the government has, and it’s very spelled out in the agreement, it says they shall include the Aboriginal governments on any discussion on Northern Accord and devolution agreements.
In light of the groups that I represent, especially the Gwich’in, in regard to a letter that was given to the Premier which outlined six elements of concern in regard to the devolution agreement, and then it took the department in responding to that letter almost seven months from the time that you got the letter from the president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council, which was initiated by the Gwich’in Assembly, in which basically those elements, again, are still outstanding, and more importantly, probably could have made for a better agreement by way of the devolution agreement.
But again, Aboriginal Affairs has an obligation to ensure that we are on top of our obligations either under treaties, land claims rights, Canadian Constitution, Section 35, and more recently, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. For me, I think maybe it’s time that the Department of Aboriginal Affairs took a course in regard to cultural awareness of Aboriginal cultures in the Northwest Territories, but more importantly, the areas and affects of national or international obligations that we have as government to protect not only the rights of indigenous people but ensure
that they are able to carry out their rightful place in the northern social and economic society. I think it’s important that we do a better job of inclusion and not basically consider the role of government to work with the groups that you can work with and most groups you can’t work, well, push them off the table. For me, that is totally unbecoming of a government, but more importantly, unbecoming of a department who has an obligation.
The other aspect, I know, for years, as long as I’ve been here, is that the affirmative action numbers in this department is appalling. Not one Aboriginal person is in senior management in this department. Last time we checked you had a receptionist who was an Aboriginal person and that’s about as close as you got to affirmative action, and yet you call yourselves Aboriginal Affairs. I think, if anything, maybe you should change the title and really reflect what you really are. Again, I think it’s more important that maybe we need a thorough review of exactly where should the Department of Aboriginal Affairs fit in light of an independent department, should it be consolidated under the Executive. I think that discussion should be had as part of the transitional document that we put forward in regard to the upcoming government in regard to the 17
th
Assembly.
Mr. Chair, I’ll leave it at that. Thank you.