Thank you, Mr. Chair. The act, at Section 7, states the decisions of the council are not binding and are subject to authorization or ratification by the members – and GNWT is one of the members – where required. Where, for example, a recommendation recommends legislative change, then it would be this body that would have to decide whether it’s appropriate to make that change. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Debates of March 11th, 2014
This is page numbers 4327 – 4378 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was health.
Topics
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Fulford
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you for that information, Mr. Chair. I’ll repeat my question again. Given that these meetings can affect how our public land, water and resources are managed, planned – and resources and water that belong to all of our public – is there any reason why these meetings cannot be public and made so through regulations?
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Martin Goldney
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, I don’t think it’s correct to suggest that this council can affect the rights and the administration of land. Again, it makes recommendations. Those recommendations are subject to the approval of each party, whether it’s an Aboriginal government or the public government, where public interests are represented here. The agreement itself provides that observers may be invited to its proceedings and that may include representative boards, councils, co-management boards, regulatory bodies. There isn’t a lot of prescription in this agreement as to who may participate and how those meetings are conducted. It really is up to the Intergovernmental Council members themselves to determine their process and their procedures. Consistent with other intergovernmental arrangements that we have and other intergovernmental meetings, there might be a desire for free and frank discussions among council members that are open to the public, not unlike our other intergovernmental arrangements that we have.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Section 5 in this legislation, it’s not prescriptive, but I’m sure our Aboriginal government partners would be willing… They’ll be setting their own rules and I’m sure that part of that will be looking at having open public meetings. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That would go a long ways, I think. I don’t expect I’ll be getting an invitation myself. Why would I, as an elected representative of my people? But I wonder if the Premier would attend and make that request and develop it as one of the rules of the council referred to in the clause made mention of here.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe I’ve already committed to that in previous reviews, so I’ll commit to that again and I’ll make sure the Member is invited if he wishes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
Thank you, Premier McLeod. Committee, we’re on Bill 16. General comments. Mr. Bromley.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair, just about there. I just wanted to express appreciation for the possibility of an invite there. I don’t recall his previous commitment, so I again appreciate him repeating it here.
My last question is: Given that there are many discussions that will influence decision-making on
how we manage our public land and resources, is there any reason why we can’t develop regulations or rules? Perhaps the Premier could bring this up as a possible rule that requires the publication of minutes, decisions, costs, that sort of thing, accountability from these meetings so that the public has a mechanism of being informed. Thank you.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’ll make sure that those issues are raised when we work together to establish rules of procedure. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
I just want to express my appreciation of the Premier again. Thank you, Mr. Chair. That’s all I had.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
Thank you. Committee, we’re on Bill 16, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management Act. General comments.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Detail.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
We’ll go clause by clause. Clause 1.
---Clauses 1 through 11 inclusive approved
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
Does committee agree that Bill 16, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management Act, is ready for third reading?
---Bill 16 as a whole approved for third reading
Committee Motion 40-17(5): Amendment To Clause 1 Of Bill 11, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
We will now move to Bill 17, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Resources Revenue Sharing Agreement Act. Premier McLeod, do you have opening comments?