Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today celebrates the strength of the Metis people. Despite the presence of the colonial powers, the churches, governments and residential schools, the Sahtu Metis have stood strong and have stood for their rights. My questions today are

for the Minister of Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Can the Premier describe this government’s efforts to further strengthen Metis economic development and participation in major development projects?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government endeavours to make sure that all Aboriginal governments can benefit from development in all parts of the region and we work very closely with the Metis governments and Metis locals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One of the priorities of the Metis National Council is to develop the common standards for Metis Nation registers.

In his dialogue with the Harper government, has this government played a role in developing a common standards for Metis national registries?

We’ve left that up to the Metis governments to decide whether they want to participate nationally. At one time the Metis Nation was part of CAP; another time it was part of MNC. For the past 10 years or so, they haven’t been associated with any national Metis organizations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, some of the federal government’s responsibilities in jurisdictions do not include the Metis people, such as the University and College Entrance Program.

Is the Government of the Northwest Territories working with the federal government to ensure that the Metis are treated just as the Inuvialuit, Inuit or the First Nations people?

Certainly, within our own Government of the Northwest Territories programs, we treat all Aboriginal groups the same, especially when you look at Student Financial Assistance. I’ve had some discussions with the federal Metis interlocutor and I could raise Metis issues with him as well.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Premier report back to the House as to the specific issues that the Premier is going to raise with the Minister and report on an action plan, if there is one that is being developed, between the Minister and the Premier on Metis rights in the Northwest Territories?

As a government we provide $20,000 a year in core funding to Metis locals and there are a number of Metis issues that we would want to have clarified with the federal Metis interlocutor, and I would be pleased to report back.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow up, I have questions for the Minister of Health. My first question is: How is the GNWT planning to bring the Hay River Health Authority into the GNWT, especially in light of them creating a one health board system?

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Minister of Health, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Bill 44 actually provides us with the flexibility to ensure the process for bringing Hay River health and social services staff into the public service can be coordinated in a manner that addresses the needs of both the GNWT, the UNW, Hay River Health and Social Services Authority and superann.

My next question is: What assurance does the Minister have and what consultation will the Minister do with the Hay River Health Authority seeing as they’re a special entity in the process of this new act?

Bringing Hay River into the one social services authority is an important element of the system transformation. We will absolutely work closely with Hay River Health Authority, the staff representatives, the union, but we also have to include superannuation, because one of the hanging points is what if, at all, the superann is willing to allow these individuals to leave or come into the GNWT, so a lot of negotiations. The GNWT currently has a mandate to begin those negotiations with the UNW, superann and Hay River Health and Social Services Authority.

My next question is: Would the staff’s seniority benefits be protected in this merger to go into the GNWT?

Any time the GNWT has worked with other governments or other bodies to bring staff into our employ, we have always been very, very conscious of these concerns and we’ve always worked really hard with those organizations, whether it’s the federal government or whether it was the Hay River Health Authority or five years ago or almost 10 years ago when we did the initial negotiations. We do our best and we will work with their union. Their union will want to protect their employees and we want to make sure the employees get a fair transition.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A while back the Minister was in Hay River and he committed to getting a cost associated to the pensions. Has the Minister come up with any of those numbers yet? It’s been some time.

There are so many numbers that are out there and we can estimate what some of those numbers will be, but until we actually get into the negotiation with the UNW, the employers’ rep, the employer as well as superann, we’re not going to know the full costs. We have been given the mandate by the FMB, Department of Health and Social Services and Human Resources to develop a mandate and begin those negotiations which will help us determine the actual cost of this transition.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.