Thanks to Mr. Goldney. I guess I’m looking for reporting to the public. The public is funding this to a certain extent. The public is interested in the management of lands and resources. Is there any provision in the act or in the agreement for reporting to the public on some annual or bi-annual basis?

Thanks to Mr. Goldney. I guess I just have to reiterate that expectations can be ignored, and albeit this is an agreement between governments, but these governments are making decisions on behalf of residents of the Northwest Territories and they certainly can affect residents of the NWT in terms of the way that lands and resources are managed. I think that it should be a requirement of the council to do some sort of a report. I appreciate recommendations maybe to each other within the council, but those recommendations are going to have an impact on us as residents, and I would recommend that if and when this act is revisited that it includes some sort of a reporting to the public, some sort of mechanism for reporting to the public. That’s just a comment.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Next on my list, I have Mr. Yakeleya for general comments.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a few things to say. First of all, it’s quite the achievement to have the governments working. We’ve come a long way from the ’60 and the ‘70s to

where we are today through the many forms of consultation with the parties on this bill Even in the ‘70s this would never be heard of, even the ‘80s, until recently. I think this is a good thing, a new partnership in our governments. Through the years of people who worked towards this type of vision of working with governments, we’re still, from our small communities, looking for bigger, giant steps and, hopefully, that will be one that will be taken in the next couple of days in the Sahtu region.

My question to the Minister is: Are there forums where a new government will be part of this, or is that being discussed as to how these new governments can be entering into this type of partnership with this type of legislation?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Our objective is to get 100 percent of the Aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories to become our partners. There are some specific provisions in this legislation as to how would that work, and through you, Mr. Chair, I’ll ask Mr. Goldney to go into more detail. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. Mr. Goldney.

Thank you, Mr. Goldney. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you. That’s good news for us and I appreciate that. Certainly, I know that will be welcome news to people in the communities who are negotiating their own form of government. It’s a big thing and that’s good for this type of provision. Again, I wanted just to say congratulations and nothing is easy that’s really good for us. Negotiations of putting this type or form of government partnership together enacted into legislation, we never think this would happen. We’re moving forward and we’re moving in a way that is new. It’s new for us. I just wanted to make that comment. That’s all I have to say.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to thank the Member for his comments. It is something new and we think it’s going to work very well and benefit all of the people that we all represent.

Thank you, Premier McLeod. General comments to Bill 16. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is, although a very brief bill, this seems a very large bill in other ways. If I’m right in reading this, this bill is meant to, really, broadly coordinate the management of lands and waters across regions and between public and land claim settlement lands, which we know is a big job. I think there’s a good chance that it could play a very important role for a sober second thought perspective on things for some accountability to be brought by our Aboriginal partners, for example. I think they have a better record, in many ways, than government. I’m somewhat hopeful that this bill will play an important role in the future, and it is certainly consistent with co-management.

But – and there’s always a but – it has been developed behind closed doors. It seems to be the modus operandi characteristic of this government. Again, very irresponsible, in my mind, that committee has been left out of this. The public has been left out of it. It’s murky still. A long-term commitment to significant public dollars, I suspect. Again, no public discussion, and it’s incredible. This is not mirrored legislation or anything, and I think it is a big bill, and it’s just incredible to me that we’re going forward without public discussion and, again, no formal committee review. Again, I believe it does make a commitment for review of suggestions and legislation by Aboriginal partners, but I think, as Ms. Bisaro has brought out, where is the mechanism for going to the public, all of our public, for their input and critique? Maybe I’ll just ask that question.

Where’s the mechanism for public input into this fairly important structure that we’re developing here with no consultation from the public?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Premier McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is something that has been negotiated for some time. The framework was provided for in the agreement-in-principle, which is public information. This involves Aboriginal governments, so this is an agreement that was negotiated on that basis. The Aboriginal governments have also indicated that they want to be involved in a review and participate in a review of all the legislation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Not surprisingly at all, I think I’m interested. I know a lot of people who are interested but they seem to be being left out, along with myself, from this. So I’m asking for the public that’s not represented by Aboriginal governments. I’m very happy Aboriginal governments are there, like I said. I think they could play an important role in accountability here and decision-making.

I don’t know if the Premier didn’t understand my question, but I’ll ask it again. Thank you.

I understand where the Member is coming from; he’s being very consistent with his comments. The Legislative Assembly will be an integral part of any review that’s undertaken. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I do agree that this structure could play a very important role as a perpetual review of our suggestion in terms of legislation and management of our land and resources and water, and especially so if the full public is involved, if it’s transparent and if it’s inclusive of all people and all perspectives. I don’t think that’s too much to ask when the public is, indeed, funding it.

Again, the Premier says it’s been out there. In fact, it’s been very hard to find. For some reason it’s been pulled out of my copy of the Devolution Agreement, and most Members’ copies. It hasn’t been very available electronically and even our research people have had a tough time finding it. So, so much for that. Again, consistent with what we’re seeing from this government.

Given that these meetings that are proposed in this legislation can affect how everybody’s public land and water and resources are managed, is there any reason why these meetings can’t be public? Thank you.

This body can only make recommendations, so any recommendations that they make have to come back to this body and public input will come through these Members that are here, and they can get input in whatever fashion they want. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Could the Minister point out where that is in the legislation?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Goldney. Mr. Fulford.