This is page numbers 1989 - 2018 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 need.

Topics

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2001

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Deputy Minister Goldney.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Goldney

Thank you, Madam Chair. We very much look forward to sharing those. There is no publicly available collection of interests. What guides negotiations are the mandates that are subject to Cabinet confidence. The goal with that broader GNWT mandate commitment was to try and do a better job of explaining publicly just some of the issues and interests that come into play when we're trying to resolve these negotiations. The expectation is that it will actually be helpful for all parties and residents to see what the interests are when negotiations are under way. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Yellowknife North.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I think that's helpful work, to kind of have an overarching vision and, hopefully, it can trickle down into the mandates. Can I just get clarification of whether we are on track to publish principles and interests in this spring 2021, and whether they will actually be made public? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2001

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, absolutely, Madam Chair. We are on track, and we will be able to publish that on the timeline. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2001

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Yellowknife North.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2001

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. Another one of the issues that I hear from Indigenous governments and negotiating tables is the NWT development of core principles and objectives. I think often, at the self-government table, Indigenous governments want to simply draw down power and not have service standards by GNWT for how they would then exercise that jurisdiction. I don't believe this government has updated the core principles and objectives since the last one. Is there any intention to do that or to let governments draw down powers and then, maybe after we have an agreement, work on what we believe the core principles and objectives they should adhere to are? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2001

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Madam Premier.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm trying to think back to when I first started. It was one of the first documents I actually looked at, and I had concerns with it, as well, Madam Chair. I brought it to my staff and I asked them what this was about. I recognize in those conversations that it's about basic standards of care. There are things about children having rights to, I can't remember, basic rights that children should have. I felt at that point that they were pretty basic and standard across, but I also respect that Indigenous governments might have taken offense to it and said, "How dare you even assume that?" Madam Chair, I've heard that there have been issues with that, but I haven't heard it personally from the Indigenous governments. I've heard it from staff. What we are doing is a multilateral table outside of the intergovernmental council tables. There are two different tables, one with all of the Indigenous governments and one that has the land claims and self-governments. I think, in fairness, Madam Chair, what I will commit to, and I will put it forward as an agenda topic, is that perhaps it's time we need to have those discussions. I can't say when. Again, at that table, I'm one of many partners, but I will put it forward as an agenda item. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2002

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Yellowknife North.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't think there are necessarily too many highly objectionable things in the core principles and objectives. They're pretty high-level, but I do think there are program models that necessarily wouldn't fit into them. I guess the problem I see is that this is a discussion to me that should come after you have have self-government and after the Indigenous government has funding and is setting up the programs. We should be working with them and providing assistance. I don't think it's appropriate. I think the order is out of place, where it is conditional that these be imputed to in order to draw down power. I guess my question is: outside of bringing it to the Cabinet table and having a discussion about changing these, are we willing to presently give Indigenous governments self-government powers without having them agree to the core principles and objectives first? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Madam Premier.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

February 12th, 2021

Page 2002

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I'd like to be able to say yes or no, but I think, in that situation, it does deserve a discussion with the Indigenous governments before I make that. There are reasons on both sides why I think that these were put in place. I think Canada has a place in that, as well. I do commit, Madam Chair, that I will revisit that, not on my own, but with the Indigenous governments around the table, and that shall be a discussion we'll have in the term of this government. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Deh Cho.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I just wanted to support comments made by a couple of the Members regarding NWT friendship centres. I know, in my community, they provide a lot of services to lots of folks who aren't working at this time. There would be sewing centres, awareness of COVID, of different issues, family violence and whatnot. I see a real need for that, because it can create employment in a small community, too, whereas now they don't have a whole lot of funding to be able to do that. Anything that they can get for the friendship centres can really help in that regard. I just wanted to make that comment there.

The other one is the special events for National Indigenous Peoples Day. That's what it's being called now, I guess. $50,000, I don't know how much that stretches out to all of the communities, because not too many bands are in good financial situations. It's very low. They aren't able to host large celebrations where they can offer more, because, in this day and age now, even to host a drum dance, all of the drummers want to be paid well. What I notice is we don't get the good drummers because we aren't paying them well. It's funny how that works. Not only that, for all of the other events that we like to host, the prize monies are just not enough. I am just wondering if we could increase that funding a little bit there just to help out the small communities. That's more of a comment.

The other one I noticed is that, I don't know where devolution funding comes in under this heading or whether you've dealt with it already, but I know that the two governments, the Akaitcho and Deh Cho, don't receive any type of funding in that regard. I'm just wondering if there would be consideration for something like good faith funding since you're on First Nations land and you recognize the First Nations as the true owners of the lands. Now you're pulling leases, taxes, from the people. Maybe something like this would go a long ways in soothing the fractured relations within the parties. I'm just wondering if something like that could be considered, since there is no other funding coming to those governments who are left out of the devolution agreement. Mahsi.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2002

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Respectfully, I beg to differ with the honourable Member in that every young drummer is an excellent drummer. In my opinion, every person who picks up any kind of traditional instrument, or begins to sew, or begins to fish or hunt, is excellent in my opinion. I don't want to quash people. They need to be brought up because they learn as they grow; all of us, even as we're old.

With the money for the special events funding, like I said already, if this money is not needed by the organizations that currently have it, we would be willing to look at using it for other issues. I have already made that commitment.

The devolution money is the intergovernmental council. Madam Chair, I made a commitment, and I'm not sure what session it was when I was asked that by Members, that I would bring it back to the intergovernmental council table, and I fulfilled that commitment. Madam Chair, I have said many times at that table that I am not the boss. I am one member of all of us as equal governments around that table. When I did bring it back again, I never gave them yes or no, because for me, it's about sharing the money.

I heard strongly around that table that the governments that were there have signed onto devolution, have made sacrifices, and are part of that table. Any Indigenous government that is not at that table is more than welcome to join that table, to sign onto devolution, but until that happens, the Indigenous governments around that table told me strongly that they did not want this to go further. Madam Chair, I carried the message that I committed to, and I carry it back and relay the message that was given to me by all of the Indigenous governments around that table. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2002

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Madam Premier. Member for Deh Cho.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

No further comments. Mahsi.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Are there any further questions? I don't think we have any more. No further questions. Please turn to page 126. Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Indigenous and intergovernmental affairs, operations expenditure summary, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $7,491,000. Does committee agree?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Members. Please return now to the departmental summary found on page 109. Executive and Indigenous Affairs, operations expenditures, total department, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $22,428,000. Does committee agree? Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that committee defer further consideration of the Executive and Indigenous Affairs main estimates. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.