Our condolences go out to the family and all those affected. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize my partner, Ms. Colleen Wellborn, who is joining us today. It her first time seeing me in the House and it is long overdue. Thanks for being here.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize two pages from Hay River, Tenielle Patterson and Zoey Walsh and also their chaperone, Myrtle Graham. Thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a constituent in my riding, someone who I consider a close friend, and more important, a woman who is really interested in preserving her culture by writing children's books. She just came out with her first one, called Wild Eggs. Suzie Napayok-Short is our translator today. I am honoured to have her here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce Brenda Van Hauvart; she is the water specialist with Ecology North who is spearheading the Love NWT Water campaign. Also my constituency assistant, Craig Yeo. Mahsi.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize two of our pages who are with us today, Malaenah Alexie and Jaydin Wilson, also chaperone Liz Wright. Thank you for all that you do us in the House. Mahsi.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Colleen Wellborn. She is a constituent of mine, and thank you for joining us in the House today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Welcome. If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It is always nice to have an audience. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

The Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased that the honourable Member from Kam Lake finally recognized that this file exists and that he's learned the difference between land claims and land rights, and I'm very pleased to say that we're working very hard to fulfil our objective of selling all of these land rights agreements within the length of this 18th Assembly.

Language is important and I obviously have to be careful, as does the honourable Premier.

On the topic of land rights agreements, Mr. Speaker, there was the commitment to have a new offer to the Dehcho processed within 90 days. Was that offer made? I'll just leave it there. Was that offer made? Was a new offer given to the Dehcho in 90 days of the Premier taking office?

We did better than that; we met with the leadership of the Dehcho and we committed to having ministerial special representatives appointed to review the progress to date to identify deficiencies and challenges and what areas we could change to move forward. We had the opportunity to have a discussion in Vancouver at the Mineral Roundup with the Grand Chief Herb Norwegian, and he agreed that we would continue to work together to resolve these long-standing negotiations and we are both optimistic that we can move forward.

I think there's a difference between making progress and a new offer. My understanding of a new offer within 90 days is there will be a new offer on the table for full consideration. Was that made? Was there a full deal given for consideration in this process, or was it only the appointments of the ministerial special representative from both governments that changed this process? That's certainly a new of way going forward, but I think it pales in comparison in a fully realized deal.

I have said before, it's very easy to make a new offer; could make one today to the Dehcho, but our objective is to reach an agreement and that's what we're working towards, Mr. Speaker.

Final question. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On an issue that's very near and dear to my honourable friends on this side of the House, the working group on this issue, it's only met once. I'm wondering if the Premier can advise when the next meeting will be and if the terms of reference allow this committee to give direction to the negotiations process, or if it is only a group that's being used to update my honourable friends. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be pleased to answer his multiple questions. First and foremost, the terms of reference were reviewed and agreed to by both sides at least six months ago, and so everybody agreed to them, and the honourable Member from Kam Lake knows that we had a meeting. Everybody agreed that the next meeting would be when we received the reports from the two ministerial special representatives, and we expect to have those very soon and then we would have a meeting at the appropriate time to discuss these reports.

Thank you, Premier. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.