Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Member for Hay River North.
HON. R.J. SIMPSON: Background
The special committee began work on December 4, 2020 and heard from legal experts, scholars, researchers, Indigenous governments and nations, and the GNWT. On March 30, 2022, the committee published the interim report: "what we heard" about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Negotiating Agreements, summarizing the comments, issues and outlooks expressed by experts, scholars, Indigenous governments and organizations, and the GNWT. Throughout the process, we respected the confidentiality requirements of ongoing negotiations and the confidentiality commitments of the Indigenous governments and nations. The interim report is attached to this report as Appendix A. Public presentations were recorded and are available on the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly YouTube Channel.
This Report
As a result of the committee's deliberations during the past two years, committee is making a series of recommendations aimed at:
- Ensuring informed governance.
- Enabling an NWT constitutional framework.
- Monitoring UNDRIP implementation.
- Making GNWT policies consistent with UNDRIP, and
- Moving land agreements to a conclusion.
ENSURING INFORMED GOVERNANCE
Most legislatures, including the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, provide orientation programs to new Members. The information generally focuses on the functioning of the NWT legislature, consensus government principles and process conventions, rules and procedures, Caucus, Cabinet and committees, budget process, legislature services and issue briefings.
In Caucus, all Members develop the priorities at the beginning of the term for a Legislative Assembly. The committee heard that educating Members in Caucus on Indigenous negotiation tables and current mechanisms for collaboration would be an excellent opportunity to share the perspectives of Indigenous governments. In addition, presentations to Caucus would show the different ways to view UNDRIP.
Committee agrees that it is an excellent opportunity to inform Members at the beginning of a new Assembly on the jurisdictions of all governments and the mechanisms for discussion and finding solutions.
Committee impresses on the Assembly and the GNWT not to underestimate the significance of existing mechanisms in their role of moving reconciliation forward and preparing the implementation of UNDRIP.
Consequently, committee makes the following recommendation:
Recommendation 1: The Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs recommends that
- the Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly includes in all transition and orientation material for all MLAs post-election, and
- the Office of the Secretary to Cabinet of the Government of the Northwest Territories includes in post-election materials specific to Cabinet
an introduction to the history and role of each of the following:
- NWT Council of Leaders
- Modern Treaty and Self-Government Partners Forum
- Intergovernmental Council and Intergovernmental Council Secretariat
- The jurisdictions of public government, exclusive and inclusive Indigenous governments
- NWT Council of Leaders UNDRIP Memorandum of Understanding.
I would like to pass the reading on to the MLA for Yellowknife South. Thank you.