WHEREAS the Elections and Plebiscites Act provides that the Commissioner may, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, direct that a plebiscite be held on any question that is of importance to the people of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories signed the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement-in-Principle on January 26, 2011;

AND WHEREAS on March 11, 2013, the Prime Minister of Canada announced that consensus on the terms for achieving devolution of lands and resources to the Northwest Territories had been reached;

AND WHEREAS assumption of the authority to manage lands and natural resources is the most significant stage in the political development of the Northwest Territories short of provincehood;

AND WHEREAS a plebiscite would provide a formal and high-profile opportunity for public debate and would increase public awareness and understanding of the meaning of devolution;

AND WHEREAS there has been little opportunity for citizens to express their wishes on the form of the Devolution Agreement and on the resource management regime that would result;

AND WHEREAS providing citizens with the opportunity to participate in this historic decision in advance of ratification of the Final Agreement by the Government of the Northwest Territories would result in a clear demonstration of the public will with respect to devolution of lands and resources to the Northwest Territories;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly recommends to the Commissioner that a plebiscite be held in the Northwest Territories on Monday, May 13, 2013, with the following question: “Should the Government of the Northwest Territories sign the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Final Agreement?”

Mahsi.