Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The possibility of this government signing an agreement-in-principle on land and resource devolution with the federal government is indeed exciting, but for the Premier to sign without the support of our aboriginal government partners would not bode well. Surely he realizes we will require willing and collaborative partners for our future success and that to proceed without them risks starting a long and contentious road indeed.

The Premier has assured us that this agreement completely addresses aboriginal concerns, that it will not affect existing or future arrangements...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak briefly to this motion. I think, first of all, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this forward. I think the House knows that I have spoken a number of times on this issue, so I will be voting in support.

Mr. Speaker, this is really all about values and capturing those values as we go forward in our development as a jurisdiction. We need a comprehensive process, a process that is of the people, for the people and by the people and that strives to get at those values and capture them in a way that shows how they will be incorporated into our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This motion is partly in response to the results of our educational programs, which have created a situation where we have students graduating with a diploma which does not prepare them for the post-secondary education that they wish to take on. Unfortunately, when I went to school we had vocational and matriculation diplomas and it was very clear what they prepared you for in terms of post-secondary. Today we don’t have that.

I know the Minister is aware of this and is working with committees and others, his staff, to make sure that we plug that hole, but in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you again to the Minister. Again just referencing the statement, I note the reference to broad implications that we’re taking. We have taken broad action and, in fact, we are contemplating broadening the application of our reduction measures. I’m wondering if we will commit to seriously going after effective new actions that demonstrate significant net reductions in NWT emissions, especially relative to 1990 levels, and putting this government back into a leadership position. Just looking around the Territory, I see municipalities, the NWTAC and so on providing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to assure the Speaker that these are posed as questions. The recent reports released during this session, reports from across the globe, have all highlighted the accelerating and deepening consequences of climate change. Would the Minister agree that this sort of information is relevant and for inclusion in his statement such as he gave earlier today, especially when the relevance is directly applying to the Arctic and our jurisdiction?

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier commit to our demonstrated principles of inclusion and patient perseverance and take the time needed to build the consensus needed on this motion for an issue before us today, the AIP? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Of course, I would say that’s sort of illogical. That’s simply a negotiating position. I’m all for getting this AIP through, but it has to meet these conditions. I won’t say that the Minister is absolutely false there, but clearly his logic is lacking, perhaps, in the conclusion.

Respecting northern values requires that those affected by a new regime, which is every citizen of the NWT, has an opportunity to comment and participate in developing our political future. Assuming resource management power is the single biggest political issue at this stage of our movement...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my questions earlier today and ask questions of the Premier as the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations.

The proceeding on with the AIP with the agreement of our aboriginal government partners is not a good start to the process nor a desired start, I know. The decision by the Premier to proceed without agreement and in the face of clear condemnation from aboriginal governments not only sours these beginnings, it could seriously damage the long-term prospects of ever reaching an amicable partnership.

To...

Equally important is that we have not finished building our unique northern vision for a land and resource management regime that reflects our values, our aspirations and our potential. I’m excited about an AIP, yes, but only if it brings our aboriginal partners to the table and if it is accompanied by a serious, comprehensive, timely and inclusive public consultation on how we want to cooperatively manage our lands and resources in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable way.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the comments of all my colleagues who chose to speak today. Of course I think it’s well established that UCEP does exist out there, but it runs out early every year and is insufficient to meet the need.

Mr. Speaker, I realize that because of our failed educational system and our lack of adequate counselling so even parents don’t realize that their students are getting an inadequate education or diploma until long after they graduate, this situation where we have been responsible creates a responsibility for dealing with it. The Minister has made some...