Floyd Roland

We have -- and I must say the Member has been consistent on that -- raised the issue, invited us to meet with the community leadership. We’ve done that on a couple of occasions. We’ve come up with an approach to help the community looking at the actual conversion that has to happen as gas supplies run out. I believe the target for residential customers is 2014. We’ve started working on that. We as departments have started conversion of our own assets to ensure that we reduce the demand for natural gas to try to extend that gas season, I guess we can call it.

The ongoing work, and I know the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In July 2009 the Northern Leaders’ Forum was created as a means for all leaders in the NWT to work collectively to advance the interest of our territory and its residents.

We set ourselves a task of developing a common vision and road map for the future of the NWT with input from northern residents, industry, NGOs, and youth. We accomplished what we set out to do, concluding the initiative with the release and tabling of the report in May entitled “Forging the Future - Anchored in our Past, Building on our Present.”

One of the most rewarding experiences throughout this...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The budget that’s being allocated for them is to help them in preparation for the negotiations and being involved in the direct negotiations that they would be included in. For example, the bilaterals or the overall preparation for main table discussions.

The funding we’re asking for incorporates all groups being involved. It’s their choice to come to the table. The invite is there to become part of the process we have built into the budget looking at all groups being part of this discussion.

Earlier the question was about a side table reprofiling dollars for a different process. We don’t have dollars identified for a different process. This budget amount has been built on the AIP in preparation for negotiations and getting ready for that, as well as incorporation of contributions that would go to Aboriginal governments for their role as we go...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess, for the record, I have to say this for the record -- and Mr. Miltenberger touched on it a bit -- supp one had some dollars identified for participation in preparation of the AIP. The Department of Executive also used internal funds to support the work leading up to the protocol that was discussed by the Member. We worked that right through until late January where we brought all the leadership in and provided meeting space and tried to come to a conclusion on that protocol. Unfortunately, the protocol was another negotiation tool, not a protocol on how we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Forging the Future, Anchored in Our Past, Building on Our Present, Youth Conference Report, July 7 to 8, 2011.

I believe that the situation as we find ourselves in Norman Wells also is being felt in another community supplied by natural gas, Inuvik. There the utility provider is looking at their options and approaching the federal government. We know that throughout the territory we have to come up with a process that works.

This is such a large issue that in fact at the Western Premiers’ Conference that we held here in the Northwest Territories the idea of disasters and disaster mitigation was discussed and then brought to the larger table at the Council of Federation to address this, and we’re hoping...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of Norman Wells, one, the gas supply has seized our attention. In fact, a number of departments -- Municipal and Community Affairs, Public Works and Services, and our Power Corporation -- are working with the community to deal with the issue that we were all notified that the gas supply would be coming to an end in two years.

The additional pressure that mounted in the spring was the issue of the pipeline, and thereby a reduction in natural gas supply. The community has done their work. They approached us, through the Department of Municipal and Community...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the Finance Minister stated, he’ll get the additional information and provide that to Members. In our budget submission I believe we shared with committee a fair bit of that, but we’ll get the additional information.

More importantly, as was stated earlier by the Finance Minister in an earlier question around implementation, this isn’t the full implementation of working to implement the deal. This is preparation for implementation. The one thing we’ve learned, as the Minister has stated, from the Yukon experience -- and the Member knows this himself from his own work...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just on this motion, as the Government of the Northwest Territories, we’ve said on a number of occasions that nothing we can do could take away from the established land claims authorities that are there that are constitutionally protected in this country. We’ve said that and have that in some of our legislation, as pointed out. Those pieces of legislation that are included are, in fact, ones that are much larger, that effect direct impact on some of the co-management areas. The Member has raised the Wildlife Act, for example, because it directly involves a...