Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to speak about the Colville Lake power pilot project. It is producing a huge amount of significant results as the pilot project. After spending a number of years growing up in that community, I have come to realize it is this government's initiative that really helps the smaller communities in seeing and playing a part in the contribution to the consumption of fuel and gas emission reductions and continuous independence with these little communities, which are only seasonally supplied. So later on today, I will have some questions here for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the forest fire season of 2014 is still strong in the memory of NWT residents. The GNWT spent $59 million fighting fires that year. Last year's fire season was also demanding, the second worst on record. We are also aware of the recent wildfire that caused evacuation of Fort McMurray destroying ten per cent of the city. While the residents of Fort McMurray are slowly being allowed to return to their homes, that wildfire is still burning out of control at more than 550,000 hectares.

Here in the Northwest Territories, the 2016 season hasn't been busy as the Minister said earlier today. In fact, we have only had two fires. Only eight hectares have burned so far this year, Mr. Speaker. But Mr. Speaker, experts anticipate drier weather and the increased fire risk that comes with it. Now is the time to prepare, Mr. Speaker. In my riding, both Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic are surrounded by dense forest. A fire break was planned for Fort McPherson, but two years ago, that project was put on hold. As I mentioned we have had many fires that year, and for that reason, that project was put on hold. We know that taking preventive action works. In 2014, the community of Kakisa was saved from fire damage thanks to their use of fire smarting practices to clear the surrounding area of potential fuel. The 2014-15 fire seasons may have been expensive, Mr. Speaker, but it is much more expensive to rebuild than to protect. I will have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members’ statements. Member for Thebacha.

I would like to send condolences to the family of the late Jimmy Schaefer of Fort Smith who passed away last evening. Mr. Schaefer was a former chief of the Salt River First Nation and instrumental in some of their treaty negotiations, was a long-time resident of the community, and related to many throughout the North including his nephew and our colleague, Minister Schumann. Mr. Schaefer enjoyed a long and useful life. He will be missed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Our condolences to the family as well. Members’ statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgments. Item 7, Oral questions. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier, you heard me talk about the need to work with small business sectors toward a shared vision for what we want to see small business look like in the North. My question today is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister comment on what he sees as the main barriers to successful small business operations in the territory and how we might address them as a government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the main barriers, as I see it, is the ability to develop business plans and the access to financial assistance and aftercare so that the biggest barrier to being a successful business is getting through the first year and surviving for five years, so any aftercare we can provide. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. I would also argue that there are some challenges found within dealing with our government as it relates to the barriers that small business face. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister comment on how the GNWT might further reduce red tape for independent business and boost its grade in the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s red tape report card?

Reducing red tape is a constant priority of our government and we spend a lot of time at it. I don't find the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Red Tape report card of much help or assistance or very useful. I don't feel that having somebody coming down from Toronto once or twice a year and giving us a failing grade and not making any suggestions on how to improve…they don't go to the communities. I don't find that report very helpful.

Well then with that, I guess I ask the Minister, does the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment have a mechanism for collecting constructive feedback from small business to determine how government programs might better serve their needs?

Here in the Northwest Territories, we are very fortunate to have very strong Chambers of Commerce. We have the NWT Chamber of Commerce and we have at least five or six chambers throughout the Northwest Territories in every region. We have a very close relationship, and the NWT Chamber of Commerce shares our view of the red tape report, and because of the fact that we are a small jurisdiction, we can interact almost on a one-to-one basis with businesses, especially when we travel to the regions.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for his reply. This will be my final question. Does the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment regularly review and consider successful small business programs in other jurisdictions, and if so, are there examples that could be implemented in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As a government, we participate in federal, provincial, and territorial meetings in a number of different areas. The Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment participates, FPTs and small business, so I always say that by participating, we gain a lot more than we contribute in these FPT meetings because we get access to best practices in every jurisdiction in Canada. Just recently, British Columbia has outlined what they're doing with small business. They have a round table for small business in BC that they feel every province and territory can benefit from doing something similar, so this is something that we have access to on a regular basis.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about Inuvialuit Day. Today, my questions are for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, the Inuvialuit are negotiating a self-government agreement with the GNWT in Canada. My question is: when was the agreement-in-principle signed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle was signed by the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the federal government on July 22 2015 in Inuvik. With the signing of the Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle, the parties are actively working towards the timely conclusion of a final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my second question is: what is included in the agreement-in-principle?

I will try to cover that in a few short sentences. The signing of the Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement-in-Principle marks an important step on the road towards Aboriginal self-government for the Inuvialuit. The agreement-in-principle serves as the foundation for the negotiation of a Final Inuvialuit Self-Government Agreement. The agreement-in-principle deals with various matters such as culture and language, health, social services, education, economic development, justice, and taxation. It also describes the Inuvialuit Government and its roles and responsibilities, the structures of the Inuvialuit Council, and the relationship the Inuvialuit Government will have with Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my third question is: what does the implementation of the agreement-in-principle mean for the GNWT Inuvialuit beneficiaries and Inuvialuit living outside the Inuvialuit settlement region.

Implementing the agreement-in-principle means that the parties will complete the negotiation of the final self-government agreement and that all of the necessary arrangements and agreements that need to be in place before the effective date of the agreement are worked out and agreed to by all of the parties. The agreement-in-principle sets out the structure of the Inuvialuit Government, an exclusive Aboriginal self-government that will serve and represent Inuvialuit citizens and deliver government programs and services to Inuvialuit in the Western Arctic region.