Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of Environment with regard to the proposed amendments to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. I know the Minister mentioned that this government is requesting three additional changes to be considered in light of what’s being recommended by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and also the other boards and agencies. I think the big issue or challenge that we face is that as the Northwest Territories I don’t think it’s the fault of the board. If anything, the boards are doing what they’ve been told, but without having the adequate resources to do their jobs. Especially integrating land and water management systems and looking at the timelines for consultation of which we have 42 days to deal with a Class A and 15 days for Class B licences. Yet there are regions in the Northwest Territories that don’t have land claims, regarding the Tlicho and Dehcho and the South Slave. Without having the appropriate

structures in place it is a challenge on different regions.

I’d like to ask the Minister what we are doing with regard to the government’s suggested changes to find ways to integrate these different systems to streamline them so they’re more workable.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize James Firth, acting chair of the Gwich’in Renewable Resource Council and former chief of the Inuvik Native Band. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we are all aware, there is a major proposed amendment to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and again the process seems to be driven from outside in, from the big boys in Ottawa. Again the legislation, regarding the drafting of legislation, was done by land claims organizations in the Northwest Territories along with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government to come up with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act made in the North, for the North, and designed for the North.

Just reviewing the information that I’ve had access to, I believe that the changes will very much undermine the intent of the drafting that took place, especially in the area of duty to consult, as we heard from a lot of small communities, whether it’s Trout Lake or the Aboriginal organizations not being consulted, especially when it comes to the changes and the developments that are taking place in northern Canada.

The duty to consult is clear. The Aboriginal consultation recommendation, under guidelines of the federal officials, fulfill duties to consult and recognize that there’s a need for policies that need to be working and also through regulatory boards in northern Canada to work with First Nations governments to ensure that takes place.

I think it’s important to realize that the Government of the Northwest Territories, who seem to be now in the driver’s seat, is now suggesting their own changes in regard to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act without even consulting Members on this side of the House on what those changes are going to be, more importantly how they will affect our constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories.

I believe that the Government of the Northwest Territories has to fulfill its obligation to consult, but more importantly, understand that we have rural and remote communities that don’t have the resources to fully participate in the regulatory systems in the Northwest Territories, and we have the right to accommodate, regardless through financial means or allowing them access to legal advisors and people that understand the legislation, and to ensure that their rights and communities are

protected socially, economically, and culturally by these developments that are going to take place.

At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister questions in regard to where the government is coming from on the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Deh Cho Bridge Act; Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act; Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act, and would like to report that Bills 15, 16, 17 and 18 are ready for third reading. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

I will now rise and report progress.

With that, I’d like to thank the Minister and thank the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses out. What is the wish of committee?

Does committee agree that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act, is ready for third reading?

To the bill as a whole.

Detail. Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act.

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