David Krutko

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have Tabled Documents 53-16(6) and 54-16(6), Bills 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23. What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

I also ask exactly what can those dollars be used for. Is it simply travel, preparation, legal costs, whatever?

Does committee agree that we have concluded consideration of Tabled Document 53, Supplementary Appropriation, No. 2, 2011-2012?

I believe the program must have been working at one time, because you were able to get the cheapest gas in the region from the community of Tsiigehtchic where this petroleum products division operates. Now they are the highest in the region. Other suppliers of those products are cheaper from other outlying communities, whether it’s Aklavik, Inuvik, or Fort McPherson, which are adjacent to this community. I’d like to ask the Minister, can you look into if the subsidy was applied in the community of Tsiigehtchic and why is it their rates are the highest in the region?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. On Sunday, June 26, 2011, Jonathan was struck and killed by a speeding car as he walked across 118th Avenue in Edmonton. Thirty-one years old, way too early for his time.

Jonathan was survived by his parents, James and May; his sister, Jayda; his nephew, Liam; his brother, Fraser; and his love, Andrea.

Jonathan was very proud of who he was and where he came from, proud to be Gwich’in, proud to be from Teetlìt Zheh. Jonathan Steven Andre was laid to rest in Teetlit Zheh on Sunday, July 2nd. He was our Gwich’in boxer and we are all so proud of him...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, colleagues. Again, I’d like to state that it’s not only what’s in the land claim agreements. I know I spoke about IAB lands and treaty rights. I think that these conflicts can exist simply by going ahead without getting a band council motion. People have tried that in the past, and they’ve basically learned the hard way and they’ve ended up in court. I think that’s what we’re trying to avoid here, that we avoid a long, drawn out process, and take the time to consider those other legal binding obligations we have, whether it’s through treaty entitled lands, land...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to move a motion that Bill 7 is amended by adding the following after section 1:

1.1

(1) For greater certainty, nothing in this act shall be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from Aboriginal or treaty rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

(2) An action or thing authorized by this act must be carried out in accordance with any applicable land claims agreement.

(3) If there is a conflict or an inconsistency between a provision of this act or the regulations a provision of a land claims agreement or...

As a land claims negotiator with the Dene/Metis claim process, the Gwich’in, the Sahtu, my main obligation was to do the land selection. Municipal land selections in the Sahtu and the Gwich’in and also in the Dene/Metis claim were a very strategic part of those land claim agreements. Lands were selected in the communities in the Sahtu, in the Gwich’in Settlement Region, for specific special purposes. They were used for rural lands, hinterlands, commercial lands, residential. Again, there was a lot of time and effort put into selecting lands in communities for these type of purposes, so that in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister consider looking at some sort of dispute mechanism to resolve this issue between the parties and the person that basically is in the situation of basically doing a job, being paid way less than other types of people doing a similar arrangement, either through having that individual become a government employee providing government services? That is the situation that you’re going to find yourself. If that NGO walks away, that position will have to be filled by the government as a government employee. Is that the only situation we put the employee...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to mental health and addiction services, especially in my riding, and also the commitment made by governments to enhance programs and services in our communities, especially in the area of mental health and addictions.

The whole intent of the change was to ensure that we had wage parity, that we were able to provide benefits to individuals in that particular field and bring them in line with the rest of the public service. There is still a definite disparity between how people are being...