Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to ask the Premier and his staff with this issue of devolution. We’re on the brink of some major changes in the Northwest Territories. We really are yet trying to assume and presume what kind of changes are going to come with devolution. We’re preparing our best. We’re getting our tools ready, and we’re getting the people ready, and we’re getting the communities ready for how it will impact our communities. One of the things I know about this change here, is that we must spread the word that devolution is coming. One of the things is, when I was even in the Sahtu, listen to the people.
I want to ask the Premier, in putting together the communications plan and harnessing the power of working together, we need that coalition, because it’s going to affect us, affect our grandchildren and so forth. We’re preparing something big for our people. I think by switching now from negotiations to implementation, we are actually planting some very strong seeds for change for our people. How do we communicate our vision for devolution?
I want to ask the Premier, my first question would be, as Mr. Miltenberger would say, how do we bring everybody under the tent. The whole North. My colleagues are talking about that. How do we bring them under one tent and say this is the deal, this is what we have?
The Premier talked about the amount of revenue coming in because of the deal and the amount of revenue that could be there waiting for us. It’s like a prosperity devolution because we’re going to receive additional dollars now that detours to the Northwest Territories and some will slowly trickle to Ottawa. That’s just the nature of the game here. We have all the Aboriginal governments who are settled on our side and we’re still working with the others on the unsettled land claim areas. We’re slowly aligning ourselves and strengthening our relationships.
This new trail that we’re carving out, called devolution, we’re becoming a developing nation just shy of being called a province. We’ve got provincial-like powers. That’s something that we need to look at. With all the talent and mustering all the skills that we have in the Northwest Territories with the first step of communicating, talking, listening to people is the Minister’s communication plan. Do we have enough time to advise our people well, and to say let’s grab our best players? Let’s do this job for us. People are credible.
I also want to give our Premier a pat on the back, saying this process is happening. I never thought it would be. It was only talk. Now it’s actually happening. It is scary because I’m not too sure, and that’s okay. It’s okay. Our people, we have to reassure them. How you reassure them is to go into the community and talk to them, talk about this stuff. Talk about the fears and the unknowns to make it known and that it’s going to be okay.
I want to ask the Premier, in his communication plan that we as MLAs would have some discussion and a team to go into our communities and start discussion right down the whole North, he’s already indicated he’s not too sure about the budget because he still has to work out some more plans. That’s understandable. On this important devolution deal, we’re going to have some time to talk to the people. Are you looking at something like a team to go into the communities along with our staff? We have various teams right now. We have the Addictions Forum team out there. We have the Mineral and the Economic Strategy. We’ve got some models already. I just want to raise this as a possibility and I’d like to hear what you have to say.
