Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Office of Devolution Initiatives is responsible for leading the Government of the Northwest Territories through negotiations related to the management of offshore oil and gas resources, and we have also assigned them to be the lead on the review of the NWT Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement transitional provisions as they relate to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Myself and my department are a bit confused. If we're talking about the Single Window Service Centres, it isn't a phased approach, Madam Chair. We are just waiting to open the doors to negotiate with the Indigenous governments. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ve heard many times in this House, and this Assembly, about the need to review that board in particular. I have committed to that. We will be reviewing all board appointments, not only for the membership, for the length of term, the composition of the board, as well. Those are commitments we are going to take. As for the timeline, as this point, Madam Chair, I cannot say, but I can commit that within a year that work will be done. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We are talking NWT-wide friendship centres. Yellowknife, I didn't even think we had one, but we do have one, the Tree of Peace here. We are talking right across the board. When we talk about measurable outcomes, I will expand on that, as well. I am not okay with just giving even $100,000 to people and saying, "There you go. Give me your financial statement," but I also think that measurable outcomes don't have to be a 50-page document. It can be as simple as you keep your door open from 9:00 to 5:00, Monday to Friday, and you provide services to the public. There has to...

Thank you, Madam Chair. This work is not being done alone. The Member is right; we need to do this with our Indigenous governments. This work has been at the intergovernmental council table that all Indigenous governments who have signed on to devolution are part of, and it's still open to other Indigenous governments who wish to sign on. This will not be a unilateral decision based on the GNWT.

I heard the Member's concerns about making sure that it is communicated properly. Out of respect for the Indigenous governments that sit at the intergovernmental council, Madam Chair, I will bring the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I apologize for not listening as well as I should have. Ms. Amy Kennedy would take the question. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no problem bringing forward the policy on Respect, Recognition, and Responsibility to Cabinet to share with them. I will give direction to Cabinet to read that, to the deputy ministers, as well, to read that. However, I want to qualify that that will actually be reviewed as we begin the UNDRIP work, as well. That is not something that is off the table, and it is not something that is written in stone at this time. It will be part of the process as we look at UNDRIP. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. You won't see it in these mains because it is not an increase. It has actually been there on the books for a number of years. It is just a matter of implementing that program. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My own Deputy Minister of Executive and Indigenous Affairs does sit on that board, and I just asked him, "Have you ever received instructions?" and he said, "Never," so they are unfettered in direction from any Cabinet Ministers. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I am going to try to be politically correct. I will commit to sharing our federal engagement strategy with the appropriate standing committee and receiving their feedback. I will not commit to waiting until I get their feedback before I'm down there. Thank you, Madam Chair.