Clauses 101 to 110.

---Clauses 101 through 110 inclusive approved

Clauses 111 to 120.

---Clauses 111 through 120 inclusive approved

Clauses 121 to 125.

---Clauses 121 through 125 inclusive approved

Bill as a whole?

Does committee agree that Bill 15 is ready for third reading?

---Bill 15 as a whole approved for third reading

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber.

Next we have Bill 16. Premier McLeod, please proceed with your opening comments.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to Bill 16, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management Act. The introduction of this bill is an important step towards implementing the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement, and fulfilling the commitment made to reflect our Intergovernmental

Agreement on Lands and Resources Management in legislation.

The Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management is described in Chapter 4 of the Devolution Agreement, as an agreement that “sets out a government-to-government relationship and provides for mechanisms for coordination and cooperation with respect to the management of public lands and settlement lands and rights in respect of waters.” The Government of the Northwest Territories and our Aboriginal government partners in devolution worked hard to reach an agreement that reflects our shared commitment to work together. This legislation will again solemnize that commitment.

The goal of the NWT Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management is to provide opportunity for the GNWT and Aboriginal governments to work collaboratively and cooperatively in areas related to land and resource management. The agreement commits all parties to work to an intergovernmental council to explore means of improving our respective land and resource management regimes. It will provide opportunity to harmonize practices, policies, laws and regulations that without cooperation and collaboration might create inefficiencies and frustrate our efforts to maximize the benefits of resource development for the people of the NWT.

Bill 16 fulfills a commitment made by the GNWT in the NWT Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management to recommend legislation for enactment by the Legislative Assembly providing for the implementation of that agreement and, in effect, will fulfill the pledge made by the GNWT to implement the NWT Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management. This is something that this government supports, and reflects our Assembly’s goal of a strong and independent North built on partnerships.

This legislation is not mirrored legislation. It reflects a “made-in-the-NWT” approach, and there is nothing similar in existing federal legislation. We have shared the draft of this legislation with the Aboriginal government parties to the Intergovernmental Agreement.

I’m also happy to report that the Tlicho Government, one of our partners in this undertaking, passed its own law on February 20th that will implement the agreement on behalf of the Tlicho Government.

I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Do you have witnesses to bring into the Chamber?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Committee agreed?

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the House.

Premier McLeod, could you please introduce your witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my immediate right is Martin Goldney, deputy minister, Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations; to my far right I have Thomas Druyan, legislative counsel, Department of Justice; and to my left is Jamie Fulford, legal counsel, Department of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. We are on general comments of Bill 16. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. A number of questions here. I’m trying to understand this bill. I realize it’s based upon an agreement which was negotiated between devolution negotiations and so on. I guess, considering that we have an agreement that has been signed by all parties, why do we need legislation to implement the agreement? Why can’t we just use the agreement as the document that governs what’s going on? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Goldney.

Thanks to Mr. Goldney. The act established or the agreement, either one, but there is a secretariat that is established. There are costs associated with that secretariat. Clause 4 says each member is responsible for their own cost of participation on the council. But then Section 9 says money required to be expended for the purpose of carrying out, et cetera, shall be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. So my question goes to the cost to GNWT.

What are the costs that are referred to in Section 4 and, ultimately, what are the costs to GNWT, since I gather that we are going to be providing support for the secretariat in terms of staff support. Thank you.

Thanks to Mr. Goldney. I didn’t really hear in there if the costs are shared equally by all the parties. Everybody has their own money ,but if the costs for the annual costs are $100, is that $100 divided equally among the six or seven or eight parties that are party to the agreement? Thank you.

Okay, that’s kind of getting to where I needed to go. My next question goes to, I presume there is funding in the 2014-15 budget if that’s when this agreement is going to be implemented. So how much is in the 2014-15 budget for this Intergovernmental Council and where would I find it in the budget? Under what department? Thank you.