There are two fundamental issues. The first fundament issue is whether the Government of the Northwest Territories effectively is a full partner in negotiations towards a Dehcho final agreement. The second fundamental issue is with regards to the Dehcho portion of resource management in the Northwest Territories. Will they be looking at a single integrated Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, or will they be looking at a standalone system, a resource management that is coordinated with neighbouring regions to the Northwest Territories? Those are the two fundamental issues that we are seeking confirmation of.

Thank you to the Premier for that insight. I think we waited a really long time for these reports. We waited a couple of years to get these reports. We see them as critical tools in advancing the settlement of these land right agreements. I am wondering: can the Premier let us know if, in fact, after all this time, these reports have been helpful at all? Are they going to be the guiding documents to settle these land rights once and for all?

In my view, the MSR reports jump-started the negotiations so that there was increased emphasis on some of these longstanding negotiations. Some of these have been going for over 20 years, and the MSR reports provided an arm's length view of both issues and challenges, and it allowed us to find a way forward to look at overlap issues and also to deal with more increased facilitation that will allow us to move forward in land claims negotiations.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you again to the Premier for his reply. It seems as though the reports are going to be fundamental going forward to find some degree of resolution and solution to these land right agreements. I just want to put it to the Premier one more time: does he still feel confident that one, two, or all of these land right agreements can be completed in the life of this Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, we are working very hard towards those objectives, and negotiations continue with the Northwest Territories Metis Nation and the Akaitcho on the recent proposals. We are very optimistic that the new offers that Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories put on the table with their built-in flexibility and the ability of the Indigenous governments to tailor their agreement to their priorities, I believe will give us the impetus to make some real progress. I am also happy to report that we recently received correspondence from the Dehcho First Nations government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure, who is also responsible for the Arctic Energy Alliance. As I said in my statement, when program funds run out before the end of the first quarter, we obviously have a good program that needs to be better resourced.

As Regular MLAs, we had requested during the last budget more money for the alliance. Now that our prediction of inadequate funds has come true, can the Minister re-profile funds so the alliance can approve the applicants on its waiting list and publicize the availability of programs to those who did not bother to apply? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Arctic Energy Alliance is a great organization that is helping us particularly move forward now with the mandate of this Assembly around energy conservation. Regarding the programs that the Member is talking about, we give $100,000 a year to the Arctic Energy Technology Program as well as $120,000 a year to the Commercial Technologies Conversation and Efficiency Program. The Member is talking about the uptake on this program. I believe it is a very successful program, but there are things in place to help address some of these things.

Presently, if a program is oversubscribed this early on, the department or another department or the Arctic Energy Alliance will do a review process, usually quarterly, on where certain projects are, and if someone who is going to be a recipient of these funds is not able to use this money in this fiscal year, that money will be re-profiled back into the program and the next person on the waiting list will have an opportunity to access that money.

As well, I believe in the second and third quarters of the fiscal year, the Arctic Energy Alliance does a review on fiscally where they are at and which programs are not being overspent. These monies can be reallocated within that fiscal year to help address some of these things. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thanks to the Minister for that response. Good to hear that the Arctic Energy Alliance can actually re-profile money within their own envelope, but we have actually seen a reduction in their funding over the last few years because there was extra money made available as part of the deal to subsidize hydro low-water levels. Can the Minister, though, commit to bring back a substantially increased budget for the Arctic Energy Alliance in 2018-2019 so that we can continue with and build on the success of their programs?

Going forward, the one thing I am going to be able to commit to is that we are engaged with the federal government, as I said in my Minister's statement today, on the low carbon economy leadership fund. This is a fund that we believe can be used to help top up the Arctic Energy Alliance, and we believe it could actually even be in the million-dollar range to help support these programs moving forward. We will continue to update Members as we get more criteria and results from the federal government on where that is going.

That is a great figure from the Minister. That is exactly what the Regular MLAs asked for in the last budget, but you did not top it up. Glad to hear that there might be more available from the federal government, but as the feds come in, we want to make sure that we do not use that as an excuse to start to withdraw our funding. Will the Minister commit to at least maintaining our funding level for the Arctic Energy Alliance as new federal funding might become available?

Going forward, I do not see us backing off on the commitment that we already give the Arctic Energy Alliance. We give them roughly $2.7 million a year, and 95 per cent of that comes from the territorial government. We believe this low carbon fund will help us meet our energy strategy going forward. Particularly, there is 15 per cent in the strategy that we want to use towards energy efficiency on buildings across the Northwest Territories, and 40 per cent for renewable energy sources for space heating by 2030. We need these types of resources to help accomplish this in our energy strategy moving forward.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Thanks very much to the Minister. I am very glad to get that commitment that, if the feds start coming in, we are not going to start clawing back money out of the Arctic Energy Alliance.

I am just wondering if the Minister can tell us what sort of program review or evaluation cycle is in place for the Arctic Energy Alliance overall. When could we expect that sort of evaluation to take place so that they can start to offer more programs and services? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, the Government of Northwest Territories is in the process of reviewing Arctic Energy Alliance programs and services to ensure programs represent the best value for money on these programs and meet the goals that we want to achieve, particularly around our energy strategy moving forward. I can update the Member, as of right now, I think that we are in the process of awarding an RFP for that work, and it should be getting under way by next month. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in recent weeks in Tsiigehtchic, Tsiigehtchic has had an unusual number of wild animals coming into the community. Can the Minister comment on how current renewable resource officers address this situation? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, currently, we have two wildlife officers from Inuvik in the community with a live bear trap trying to trap the bear that has been wandering around there. As well, we have another wildlife officer from Fort McPherson, I believe, who is going to be stationed in the community for a couple of nights. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that is great to hear. When communities without their own renewable resource officers need the department's assistance on a wildlife call, especially when it happens outside working hours, what should residents do?

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is pretty well all the communities in the Northwest Territories do have wildlife officers, but in the cases of where they are not available or there is nobody there, they have an emergency wildlife line that they can call. If that number is not readily available in Tsiigehtchic or posted where a lot of residents can see it, then I will ask the department to ensure that the numbers are posted where residents of Tsiigehtchic are able to see it.

Mr. Speaker, roughly when can we expect to see the new officer position filled and a new officer taking up their work in the community?