Thank you, committee. Moving on. Activity five of six, Indigenous and Intergovernmental Affairs, found on pages 113 to 116. It is a $6.7 million activity. Indigenous and Intergovernmental Affairs, pages 113 to 116. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to understand from the Minister in terms of the long-term vision of the intergovernmental council. I understand, since signing the devolution agreement, Aboriginal groups have been engaged in terms of trying to work cooperatively with this government. I just wanted to also understand: what is the long-term intention of this group? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The long-term intention is that we are still optimistic of having all of the Aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories sign on to the devolution agreement and become part of the intergovernmental affairs unit. With the unit, that will allow us to all deal with the lands under each of their different government's responsibilities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the eventuality that, at some point, the ideal state has been reached where all regions have settled their land claims and self-government arrangements, would it be within the scope of possibility that this government presides over a framework of development and pillars to ensure that an understanding of the evolution of the NWT could become a matter of the discussions towards constitutional development? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is certainly not something that we have discussed or contemplated since, I believe, it was the 11th or 12th Assembly, I think, was the last time there was any constitutional development that was discussed at any great length.

We haven't raised that matter. With regards to the intergovernmental forum, the way it operates is the chair is supposed to rotate amongst the different governments that are part of the intergovernmental forum. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, in this respect, in terms of the parties that have signed on to the devolution agreement, and as a step forward, this government has engaged in agreements called cooperation agreements, what is the spirit and intent of those agreements. As an example, I understand the GNWT signed a cooperation agreement with the K'atlodeeche First Nations. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think it is important to differentiate between -- the intergovernmental unit is more to work together in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration. The MOU that we signed is a government-to- government relationship. With regards to the K'atlodeeche, as the Member referred to, it gives us a forum to discuss the most important issues between the two governments. It allows us to have some very detailed and frank discussions about some of the priority areas that are longstanding and continue to be irritants. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No further questions.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am just trying to find the page again here. It is page 114. The line item is negotiations. There is going to be a reduction between 2017-18 and 2016-17. Can someone from the department explain why we are reducing the funding for negotiations in light of the commitment and the mandate to try to finish all of these negotiations by the end of the 18th Assembly? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is the remainder of salary dollars that were aligned with reductions that were made in the previous fiscal year 2015-16. There was about $97,000 that were reallocated within the department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just to be clear, was that funding actually reallocated or was it deleted from the budget? I understood from last year that these were deletions that were being made in light of the Cabinet's fiscal strategy. Can we get some clarification on that, please? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Premier.

Thank you. Just to be very specific, Mr. Chair, the decrease is $117,000. There was $67,000 for elimination of a chief negotiator position and $50,000 for reduction of implementation negotiator funding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Premier. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the answer. These funds weren't actually reallocated within the department anyway; these were reductions that were part of the fiscal strategy? Thank you.