Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, general comments, I mean, you know, when I look through the business plan for EIA, I look specifically at the directorate as the Indigenous Intergovernmental Affairs and the Executive Council offices and, you know, there's much work to be done. And I'm appreciative of the work that's been done to date with working with Indigenous governments. I appreciate that the Premier and Cabinet continue that mantra, and I think it's great. But it's important to know that there's much work being done by the Indigenous governments, and there's much work to be done. And, you know, they have been -- and particularly this -- and I can speak to my region, of course. Particularly in my region with our two settled land claims, they are essentially going guns-a-blazing. They're building homes. They're doing major infrastructure projects. They're moving ahead. So, you know, so when I look at our responsibility as EIA and to continue to do the work that the Premier's committed to doing, and has shown that is committed to doing, we need to make sure we have the right people in those places. You know, it all can't be based in Yellowknife. We need senior people, whether that's regional directors or whether that's ADMs, you know, we need people in the regions where this work is taking place by the Indigenous governments to be our voice there as well. And when I say our voice, this government's voice. And I think that it's not only the perception that things are centralized, it's not only that -- you know, it's important that we have people in the regions where that work's being done to be able liaise, again, with the Executive Council offices and making sure that work being done and voices are being heard from the Indigenous governments. And then, of course, that also ties into the departments in the regions as well because, I mean, those positions, again, having someone in there that can tie together, whether it's housing and health and social services and infrastructure and tie them together in the regions as a one-stop place you can go if you're an Indigenous government or even if you're just an individual in that region. So I think it's key, and I would hope that that is what's being looked at when I look to the business plan to make sure that there are staff in those positions and that we have, you know, reliable, senior people in the communities working with EIA. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Denny Rodgers on Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
In the Legislative Assembly on May 29th, 2024. See this statement in context.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
May 29th, 2024
Page 560
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