Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment to support the Intergovernmental Council towards implementation of the vision of cooperative and collaborative management of lands and resources, as set out in the Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. I am pleased to report that the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Intergovernmental Council on Land and Resource Management took place on Friday, December 15, 2017, here in Yellowknife.
The Intergovernmental Council, or IGC, was created as part of the devolution process and provides the opportunities for member governments to collaborate on issues of land and resources, while acknowledging their respective jurisdictions.
The agenda for the meeting, which is jointly developed, identified topics for discussion, including a report on the activities of the Intergovernmental Council Secretariat; the Arctic Policy Framework; and the need to develop a formalized working relationship.
Some of the outcomes and additional items discussed at the meeting included:
• Identifying the need to complete the Intergovernmental Council long-term strategic plan in 2018. The strategic plan will include timelines, indicators, and required resources;
• The establishment of a working group tasked with developing formal government-to-government working relationships;
• Determining how best to collaborate and maximize federal government Indigenous funding programs; and
• Continued work with Indigenous governments to develop a northern approach to the Arctic Policy Framework, including the NWT chapter.
A summary of these items has been provided to the chair of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning, who also attended the meeting and is also posted on the IGC website.
Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to report that the Government of the Northwest Territories has committed to working with the Indigenous governments to host a Northern Summit on Economic Development which will take place later this year. Invitations to the summit will be extended to a range of partners, including industry and representatives from the federal government.
I want to acknowledge and thank our Indigenous government counterparts for their ongoing commitment to the goals and objectives identified in the devolution agreement. By signing on to this agreement, we agreed to work together, and I am optimistic that our accomplishments to date are indicative of that collaborative approach. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.