Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In 2023, the 19th Assembly passed Bill 85, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act. I was here when this happened, Mr. Speaker. It was a momentous occasion that promised to be very beneficial to First Nations, Metis, and Inuit governments across the North.

The UNDRIP declaration provides a framework for a reconciliation, healing, and peace. It reaffirms the right of Indigenous people recognizing the section 35 of the Canadian Constitution. After that vote in the previous Assembly, work must be done to factor this declaration into all decisions. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission highlighted this in their Calls to Action as well.

Mr. Speaker, all MLAs in this House made an oath to honour and respect the treaty signed with Indigenous people when they took office. The treaties were always the law of the land. They backed up by international legal standards which were reaffirmed through in this chamber.

Furthermore, Indigenous governments and organizations across the territory had also signed NWT Council of Leadership Memorandum of Understanding so we could have a meaningful way to measure true reconciliation.

It was reported on Thursday that the Government of the Northwest Territories is expected to spend $2.5 billion in 2025-2026. The majority of that money will come from the federal Government of Canada transfer. For every dollar in the federal transfer, it works out to 76 cents from the Crown of Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, more than 50 percent of our population is Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit, and yet the GNWT does not consult with Indigenous governments about how to use that money they receive from the federal government even though much of the transfer to the GNWT is supposed to fund their services. Therefore, the GNWT budget still fails treaty rights by refusing to recognize the intent of these transfers and ignores duties to consult Indigenous governments on how these funds should be spent in contravention of UNDRIP. According to the action plan committee 2024 annual report, an action plan still has not been published and implementation of UNDRIP remains unfinished. This continued lack of consultation -- Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Members. According to the action plan committee of 2024 annual report, an action plan has still not been published and remains unfinished. This lack -- continued lack of consultation persists in many other ways such as through the scrapping of the affirmative action policy without asking Indigenous governments and Aurora College closing 19 community learning centres in Indigenous communities which will come at total surprise. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.