Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal government is proposing to amend the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, the most fundamental and key environmental review legislation we have. And just in case you missed it, Mr. Speaker, the federal government is proposing to amend the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

I was surprised to learn from outside sources that this government is consulting with INAC on these amendments. Once again, the GNWT response is being compiled by GNWT deputy ministers or Cabinet without any plan for seeking input of Regular Members through committee. Despite requests, I have still not received the list of amendments being considered.

Last week I learned from another outside source that INAC is also consulting with stakeholders on creation of an NWT surface rights board act. Again, I have yet to receive this information through committee. My research indicates that the board will “provide a single process for dispute resolution between surface rights and subsurface rights holders who have been unable to reach a

negotiated access agreement.” My source, the industry journal Pipeline News, also says MVRMA amendments will “clarify terms, enact timelines and may include board restructuring while NWT Waters Act amendments will define the jurisdiction of the board.”

These are huge changes, Mr. Speaker. Obviously the readers of Pipeline News and the public groups being asked for their input have a better pipeline to information than our standing committees.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve strongly stated my views previously, that without all our Aboriginal governments at the devolution table, we cannot develop a respectful and successful regulatory regime. I’ve also called repeatedly for this government to ask our citizens what resource regime we want for our future. Rather than spending more than a half a million dollars on the blue sky Creating Our Future Together process we could have been, and still could be, asking our citizens real questions towards made-in-the-NWT law to manage our birthright.

When devolution goes ahead we need to be ready, not to bring down the same old made-in-Ottawa law and mismanagement, Mr. Speaker. We need to prepare now with our Aboriginal partners at the table to map our future cooperatively.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted