Bob McLeod

Obviously, when we discussed this we talked about involving Aboriginal governments. I know that committee also has some ideas of who should be involved. We will take all of those ideas and work with committee to come up with a process that would be acceptable to the majority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are having active discussions with the other Aboriginal governments who have not signed on as of yet. Our objective is to have 100 percent of the Aboriginal governments sign on. The federal government has indicated that their financial contributions will cease after one year, but as a government we will welcome the Aboriginal governments that have not signed on yet. Preferably, our objective is within a year, but I think it will be a standing offer.

We have in place with the Dehcho, a working group of senior officials with oversight provided by myself and the grand chief of the Dehcho First...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 17, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement Act, moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Premier, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 16, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management Act, moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Kam Lake, that Bill 15, Oil and Gas Operations Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill substantially mirrors the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act in accordance with the requirements of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This government spends a tremendous amount of dollars on consulting with the general public on any kind of strategy. I could probably list off about two dozen, but I guess the ones that come to mind are the Water Strategy and the forest management, devolution and what have you. We go out and we give everybody the opportunity for input. We go to the communities. We call meetings and we also use the Internet, our website, where we put out information and we seek feedback. There are all kinds of avenues for the public to have input into our policies.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The whole premise of this government here, its Intergovernmental Council is made up of governments that own land, and together we will manage land in the Northwest Territories. We have this public government structure that has 19 MLAs, and through this process we will represent all of the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 16, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Lands and Resources Management Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 17, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Agreement on Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Kam Lake, that Bill 15, Oil and Gas Operations Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.