Bob McLeod

Reconciliation, we fully support it, but talk is just talk. I guess the proof will be when the money starts flowing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We work with the Aboriginal governments that have Aboriginal land claims and are negotiating land claims at the land claims table. The Dene Nation, I guess, have been operating at a different level, and we still don't know if the federal government's intentions are to take all the money for delivery of programs and services and deliver to AFN, who will then deliver to the Dene Nation for delivery of programs and services. We have been trying to get that response from the federal government, and we have not been able to get a clear answer.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to welcome Members back to the Legislative Assembly as we continue our work to create a better future for the people of the Northwest Territories. Time is passing quickly, Mr. Speaker, and we are past the halfway point in the mandate of the 18th Legislative Assembly. There are just 20 months left until the end of our term, and there is still a lot of important work for us to do.

One of the most important challenges we face is securing a strong and sustainable economic future for the people of the territory. The people of the Northwest Territories want jobs in their...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the follow document entitled "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 770-18(2): Mental Health and Homecare Funding." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We would undertake a government review, and, as soon as that is completed, we are, MLAs are, meeting on a regular basis, so we would try to fit into that agenda and timetable.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my response, I made sure that all options were open, and I said that I would review the legislative agenda and we would take whatever actions would be required to make sure that we fulfilled our agenda, our very ambitious agenda. That did not preclude meeting with Caucus to review. We all know the process. The only one who can call or reconvene the Legislative Assembly would be the call of the Speaker.

At the rise of the House today, we expect that the 18th Legislative Assembly will have passed an additional three financial bills. As the Member indicated, this brings the total number of bills passed by this Legislative Assembly to 36, with another bill introduced and before special committee for review. In past investigations, we have determined that capacity is not an issue, and we will undertake to review that again to ensure that is not the case.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are not a factory. We operate in a Legislative Assembly. Legislative proposals and draft bills before Cabinet are confidential documents which I cannot speak to, but we have a significant number of initiatives making their way through the system for introduction in the remaining two years. We had a slow start in year one with respect to introducing legislation due to a number of factors, the late election, and the focus on the development of the mandates by this House, but in year two, we are definitely picking up speed, Mr. Speaker.

All Members of this House should have input into the development of public policy. We have procedures and process conventions to ensure that all policy direction issued to the PUB has been shared with committees and has been made public, as well as any future policy direction to the PUB, including the draft Energy Strategy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will answer the first question. Yes, clear policy direction has been provided to the Public Utilities Board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.