This is page numbers 127 - 164 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 work.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The motion is in order. I'll allow the mover to speak on the motion.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like many First Nations throughout the Northwest Territories, the Gwich'in people have relied on the Porcupine caribou herd, along with other herds throughout the territory. Mr. Speaker, all Dene in the NWT are also part of the Porcupine caribou management agreement. Even though the Porcupine caribou herd is one of the healthiest herds in Canada and in the United States, as well, you know that future drilling, if allowed in 1002 lands is what this motion is speaking to.

It can have huge impacts on the Porcupine caribou herd. We see it throughout all the herds in Canada that are declining at the moment, yet the Porcupine caribou herd is healthy at the moment, but future drilling can have impacts on this, as well. That is the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd, Mr. Speaker, and now is the time we need to stand up again. You know, this fight has gone on for many years in the Gwich'in, in the Yukon, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories have always been lobbying the Congress and senators in the United States to protect their calving grounds. I'd just like to read the latest update that I received.

"The Senate passed its budget resolution, which directs the Senate Natural Resource Committee, chaired by Alaska Senator Murkowski, to generate $1 billion in new revenues. This is expected to be found by removing the legislative barriers to drilling in the coastal plain, and counting highly speculative revenues from the future sale of oil leases. The Senate vote happened largely along party lines, with the budget resolution passing 51 out of 52 Republicans to 49, all 48 Democrats, and one Republican. Earlier in the evening, Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell tabled a proposed amendment to the budget resolution, which had passed. Whatever moved the direction to the Senate Natural Resources Committee and thus ending the drilling threat in the budget, it did not pass, with 48 votes in favour, democrats, and 52 against, republicans. Last week, the House passed its own budget resolution which also directed its equivalent of the Senate Natural Resource Committee to find $5 billion in new revenues, example, $4 billion more than the Senate budget resolution. Most of these budget resolutions are not legally binding. They are also substantially different budget resolutions."

As I understand the archaic U.S. political process over the course of the next few weeks, the House and Senate will begin negotiations to reconcile the two budget resolutions in a single bill, which will have to pass in the Senate before becoming law, 51 votes required.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that there is still the ability for the language that puts the coastal plain at risk to be removed from the bill prior to the final Senate vote. Given the outcome of the capital amendment vote, however, this will require a shift in position of a minimum of three Republican senators. Mr. Speaker, in the worst-case scenario, the Senate will pass a budget into law in the coming weeks that removes the provisions from the federal legislation which currently prohibits exploration and drilling for oil in the coastal plain. So Mr. Speaker, more than ever, this motion is very important, and we need lobbying of our Prime Minister to meet with the President of the United States. I know that he is pro-development, but Mr. Speaker, I think we also need to send a contingent down to Washington to lobby the senators. Like I said, we only need three to change their position.

We have a lot of people who depend on the Porcupine caribou in the Northwest Territories along with the Yukon, I know they are doing their part to send people down to lobby. I just ask for your support, and Mr. Speaker, I will request a recorded vote. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm very happy to second the motion. There have been a number of motions over the past number of Assemblies on protection of the caribou and this is just another one, but I think now, more than ever, it is quite critical that we follow through on this one because as the Member pointed out, I had exactly the same stats on the amendment that was made that was defeated that would have taken the Arctic wildlife refuge, the last wildlife refuge, out of it.

As the Member pointed out, it failed, and so there are two more people who need to be convinced. I do know that there are some representatives from, I think, one of the northern Yukon communities who are going down to Ottawa to try and change the minds down there. I do know that in the past, there have been a number of efforts by people of the Beaudel and Alaska and the Yukon to go down and point out the fact that they need to protect that particular -- because it's a different country and the volatility of the present administration in the United States, it makes it more critical than ever that we increase our efforts to try and make them aware of exactly what kind of effect that it's going to have.

I agree with the Member: the caribou sustained the people of the North Slope and the Yukon and the Beaudel for years, and I've been a benefactor of the caribou, Members have been benefactors of the caribou, our children have been benefactors of the caribou, our grandchildren are starting to be benefactors of the fact that we have the ability to still harvest caribou, and we want their grandchildren to have that ability as well.

I have said before earlier in the House when I was responding to some questions that I give kudos to any Aboriginal government that shows leadership in protection of caribou across this country because that will ensure the survival of the caribou once the Aboriginal governments take it upon themselves and self-regulate themselves. The Tlicho government has done that and kudos to them. The seven Indigenous groups I spoke of earlier in Ungava Peninsula in around Quebec have taken leadership roles. I think it is extremely important that we continue to support this and we continue to try and get down and do some lobbying efforts and see if we can convince some people that this is an area that needs to be protected. I am very pleased again to the seconder of this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would like to strongly support this motion. I want to recognize the people who have done a lot of work on this. I am not going to name them all, but certainly the human faces. This has been a lifetime struggle for many of them, people like Norma Kassi, Joe Tetlichi, Charlie Snowshoe, the late chief Johnny Charlie. This has been a lifetime struggle trying to protect the caribou herd. I want to recognize their efforts and leadership on this issue. I know that our government is going to get behind this as well and provide support and assistance. I am sure it is going to get unanimous support in this House. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

To the motion. Member for Nunakput.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a neighboring MLA for the Member from Mackenzie Delta, I support this motion as well too. Mr. Speaker, this is a good opportunity for the Gwich'in settlement region as well as the Gwich'in International which is in Alaska, the Aleutians, and the GNWT. I think we are all in the right place to partner up to bring this to the level of the Arctic Council as well as to the United Nations.

Mr. Speaker, all those avenues are key to slowing down a process like this that maybe moved by another government that is out of our control and out of our reach. We are working with the Government of Northwest Territories and the government of Canada. I think with all those avenues, we can have a strong voice together at that level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Question has been called. The Member requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.

Deputy Clerk Of The House (Mr. Schauerte)

The Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Yellowknife South, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, and the Member for Thebacha.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the motion are: 16 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions.

---Carried

Masi. Motions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let's try that again.

WHEREAS Douglas Schauerte was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly in 1995;

AND WHEREAS Mr. Schauerte has provided devoted and exemplary public service to the Legislative Assembly for more than 30 years;

AND WHEREAS during Mr. Schauerte's 10 years as Deputy Clerk, the system of democratic and responsible government in the Northwest Territories has undergone rapid and significant change;

AND WHEREAS Mr. Schauerte will retire as Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly on October 20, 2017;

AND WHEREAS it is customary for Legislative Assemblies to recognize and express their gratitude for such long and distinguished service;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre that the Legislative Assembly expresses its sincere gratitude to Mr. Douglas Schauerte for the dedicated and exemplary service to this House;

AND FURTHER that the Legislative Assembly designates Douglas Schauerte as an honorary officer of this Legislative Assembly with the entry into the Chamber and a seat at the table. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

There is a motion in order. To the motion? Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just very quickly, I got elected into the House in 2014 and I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Schauerte. I have seen the work that he does and trying to keep his all in order. As we have just seen recently today, I think it is time to retire him. He is getting all the ridings mixed up.

---Laughter

That is starting to make me wonder if he even knew what the ridings were.

---Laughter

As member of the board of management and the Minister of Finance, I think it is going to be a cost-saving measure to this, too, because Doug runs up and down the hall so many times. I don't even know how many times we have had to change carpet in a year.

---Laughter

We will be able to save some money in that. It also set him up well for his next line of work when he moves down to Saskatchewan. He is going to be a cat herder because he has had a lot of practice over the last number of years. We do appreciate the work that you have done and we look forward to the opportunity of seeing you here at this table again. Thank you.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion. I will allow the seconder to make comments on the motion.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, dependable, accommodating, those are the words that come to mind when we talk about Doug. He is the person that we Regular Members see every sitting morning at nine o'clock who walks us through what the day will be about and how we need to prepare for it.

He is unfailingly helpful. He has an incredible knowledge of procedure and the history of this Assembly, a tremendous amount of corporate knowledge that he takes with him when he retires. He is always accommodating; nothing is too much trouble. He is always a constructive force in our meetings. I will miss him tremendously, but I wish him well in his retirement. Mahsi.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I think this motion really deserves some very serious debate. I look forward to some comments here, but no, more seriously, we often don't get to recognize our staff. This is one of the few occasions we actually get to do that. Thank you, Doug, for over 30 years of service.

You are an encyclopedia of knowledge. You have this uncanny knack of enabling us to get the best out of ourselves seriously. Personally, you have provided some very solid advice to me. You have made my re-entry back into political life a lot easier. I sincerely wish you all the best with your next phase of your life and you always have a special place in this House. Mahsi.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion. Member for Kam Lake.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will rise to commend the long service Mr. Schauerte has given to this institution and to us, in particular, on the Regular Members' side. I may have studied politics before I got here, but I certainly did not know how the sausage was made, and Doug is an excellent sausage-maker.

Other Members may know, since I have been here over the last two years, I have thoroughly enjoyed learning our procedures and practices here, and one thing I am going to miss most about Doug leaving is arguing with him over how best to do those policies and practices and always throwing him a curveball of "Hey, why don't we try this," and then Doug saying, "No, no, let's not do that at all." I will miss that, but I do know that 30 years under the dome in a hectic political support role must have been a long career, and he must be looking forward to that retirement now. I know he will be back, and there will always be a seat at the table for him. Thank you very much for your service, Mr. Schauerte.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I have had the privilege of knowing Doug and the Schauerte family for many years, but I never knew Doug on a professional level. I can certainly say that, when you are a newly elected MLA, just walking into the front doors of this building can be daunting and sometimes intimidating. There is nothing more special than meeting the never-ending warm smile of Doug Schauerte. It is not just us here in this House who owe you a debt of gratitude. You have given 30 years to an institute as fine as ours is. We are all a part of the Canadian Federation, and so I think that Canadians as a whole owe you a debt of gratitude for your commitment to public service. Thank you.

---Applause