Bob McLeod

The Member should be pleased that the MVRMA will continue as a public board. We are not taking it. They will still be making those decisions and putting forward recommendations. The responsible Ministers will be putting them into effect.

Mr. Speaker, later today, at the appropriate time, I will table Northern Lands, Northern Leadership: The Government of the Northwest Territories Land Use and Sustainability Framework. Completion of this document is a significant achievement and a major step in this government’s final preparations to assume new responsibilities for public lands, water and resources on April 1st.

The Land Use and Sustainability Framework establishes a policy foundation for the Government of the Northwest Territories as we assume our land management responsibilities after devolution. It is based on our years of...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 24, 2014, I will move that Bill 11, Petroleum Resources Act, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 10, Northwest Territories Lands Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, concluding land, resources and self-government agreements is an essential element of the political evolution of the Northwest Territories and the foundation for our future economic and political stability.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is an active party to these negotiations as we support the settlement of all outstanding Aboriginal rights in the Northwest Territories. We know, from experience, that those who have settled agreements have the necessary tools to fully participate in the Northwest Territories and Canadian economies, to strengthen their communities and...

The Member is correct; 24 people were affected by shared services, 20 of them have jobs. There are four that have still not been placed, one in the Deh Cho and three in Yellowknife. I fully expect that they will all find suitable, reasonable employment consistent with what they are doing now.

There are three negotiating parties at the table, and we have to have some consistency across the Northwest Territories, but we do have a regional administrative system already in the Northwest Territories, so I expect that that’s something that could be negotiated, I would think.

I don’t want to be talking out of school here because we’re still going through different processes. The Dehcho are going through their process; we’re going through our process. But I think we just have to be careful here. We are talking about such an authority, but I think we have to make sure that the understandings and definitions of what that authority will be are consistent. I can say that we are discussing that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a Page from Yellowknife South, Carson Asmundson. He’s been here a few times before, and I also want to recognize all the Pages that are here today. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the motion before the House contains a number of factual errors that I would like to correct. In the spirit of consensus government, I will, of course, acknowledge where the motion is in fact accurate.

The motion is correct in stating that the Government of Canada has introduced Bill C-15, An Act to replace the Northwest Territories Act, to implement certain provisions of the Northwest Territories Land and Resources Devolution Agreement. This motion does not, however, reference that Bill C-15 has passed third reading in the House of Commons and has been referred to the Senate...