Thank you. I would like to recognize some visitors we have in the gallery before they take off. I believe the grade 9 class from Sir John Franklin High School in Yellowknife. Welcome. It is always nice to have an audience. I like to see when the youth are engaged. Welcome. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to follow up on a motion that we passed unanimously in this House on October 20^th of last year. It was with regard to an apology and compensation for damages from the Giant Mine. I would like to know whether the Premier has had a chance to write the letter to the Prime Minister as contemplated in the motion and whether he can table that letter in the House before the end of this sitting. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I did write a letter to the Prime Minister as contemplated in the motion of October 20, 2017. I will be tabling that letter probably tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the Premier for the follow-up on the motion. I would like to know whether there has been a response from the Prime Minister of Canada to that letter and whether that response can be tabled in the House before the end of this sitting, as well.

The Prime Minister has responded. The letter will be tabled likely tomorrow, as well.

While I am on a roll here, I want to thank the Premier for that, as well. It would be good to know if negotiations have started and whether there is a target date or any other kind of details on the process. Can the Premier tell us whether he is aware of any further progress on the issue of an apology and compensation for the damages from the Giant Mine?

The Prime Minister in his response indicated and advised that he was forwarding my letter to the Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, and that since then, it is my understanding that the Regional Director General for the Department of Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs has agreed to enter into discussions with the Yellowknives Dene First Nations and is working with the chiefs to schedule a meeting.

Final question. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. Three for three. Let's go for four for four. Again, I want to thank the Premier for that. That's really great news. This is something people in this community worked long and hard for, so I really appreciate the response from the Premier.

GNWT is a co-proponent under the Giant Mine Environmental Agreement, and it's also a partner in the remediation of the site, not a financial partner, we will be clear on that, through the 2005 Cooperation Agreement. Our staff have a lot of knowledge and information about Giant Mine and its impacts. Can the Premier tell us whether our staff will be supporting the work on an apology and compensation, and whether they have begun to be engaged on this issue? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I'm not aware that our staff have been directly engaged as of yet, but we have a very good working relationship with the federal Department of Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. We will endeavour to engage with them, so that we continue to stay on top of this issue and help facilitate a resolution that we are able to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I talked about the amnesty for people who have been charged with marijuana offenses in the Northwest Territories. I recognize that this is a federal government initiative at this point. At some point, the GNWT will be engaged. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if the department has statistically reviewed the situation or the numbers of people who have been charged with criminal offenses due to marijuana. Thank you.

Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can advise that the department does not keep statistics on the number of Northwest Territories residents with convictions for simple possession or otherwise, and it may be that some of them will have convictions arising from other jurisdictions. I was looking at an article, however, on Andre Picard, which seemed to indicate there was still a large number of people across Canada being charged. He indicated in that article that, as I read it, there were more than 40,000 convictions, or charges, rather, cannabis-related charges laid in 2016. So there are a large number of people who are still being charged. I'm assuming that some of them are Northwest Territories residents, but we don't have those statistics. Thank you.

Even without statistics, I would like to ask the Minister if there has been any discussion with his department on how to handle I guess it's going to be a huge number of individuals who have been charged, in the case I spoke up in my Member's statement about, with possession as the Minister indicates. I was wondering if there were any discussions at all at the departmental level pertaining to that.

As I have mentioned previously, this matter is primarily a federal one. I do know that, some time ago, the Departments of Justice and ECE established a program whereby clients on social assistance could receive financial assistance to obtain a record suspension, which is the modern term for a probation.

As I say, there may be a lot of applications for record suspensions, or a pardon, rather, coming ahead. Unfortunately, it does seem that there are still a large number of charges being laid. As I mentioned previously, tens of thousands of charges are still being laid. I don't think the federal government is contemplating any change in their policy with respect to pardons for marijuana charges until after the current legislation, regarding the legalization of recreational cannabis comes into effect.

I do realize that we are talking about the legal stuff here, but had there been any discussions, like at some point, we must begin to talk about what's going to be coming in July. I would like to know if there have been any discussions between the Minister and his colleagues in Cabinet.

Of course, I cannot discuss the details of what is discussed in Cabinet. However, we do realize this is a live issue, and it is a live issue for the federal government also. I do know that, as recently as earlier this year, and I'm reading a story in the press that the Federal Safety Minister, Ralph Goodale, said the government is examining the implication of possible pardons or record suspensions. This is an issue mainly at the federal level, and I think we could all say we are expecting some movement by them with respect to the issue of passed convictions, but time will tell.

Thank you. Final question. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm asking these questions because it does certainly have an impact on individuals for jobs, employment, travel, and many other things. When an individual who has a criminal record is appearing at the border, for example, whether or not they are able to across the border could depend upon the type of criminal offense they have on their record. I would like to ask the Minister if he could commit to starting to have discussions with the other Ministers who have some involvement in creating employment and having the growth of our economy in the territory so that they have that discussion, so that when July 1 comes and the legislation is passed that this government would be more prepared than not prepared. Thank you.

Yes, it has been a challenge for this government to prepare for the upcoming legalization of recreational cannabis. Certainly, I am willing to discuss these matters with my colleagues in Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a follow-up to my Member's statement. A little background is, in the past, the ice roads opened at a weight limit of 25 millimetres and today, the changes that were made were, you now have to have 35 millimetres to open roads. I would like to ask the Minister: will the Minister be more flexible as we tend to have colder weather in the Mackenzie Delta compared to the southern part of our territory? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.