Floyd Roland

Mr. Chairman, usually on the land use plans that are developed, they are developed and the principle is set up in, for example, a land claim agreement. Those are the ones we have examples of, and then, as they’re signed, implementation then goes into developing the actual land use plan. But we’ve also had tables that are in negotiations now working on a land use plan at the same time or, in fact, have probably got the land use plan further ahead than actual negotiations of the main table, in a sense.

For, again, different aspects, as the Member highlighted and I responded earlier, as ENR helps...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Liquor Commission doesn’t fall under the Executive, that falls under the Finance department and if it was to be accounted for it would be accounted for in that area, but probably under the Liquor Commission Revolving Fund is a possibility of that but not under Executive. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The issue of the department’s human resource plan and affirmative action, more specifically, has been one that we’ve dealt with for some time, some initially would say, and challenged us to step up to the plate here and make some changes in the area of delivery. I must say that, or sometimes I would say, the concern about our aboriginal affairs status or percentage of employees is one that we’ve taken to heart. Although, I must say that our success has also been our challenge in the sense we’ve had some of our managers go through here and then get picked up by other...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The department is the lead role in this land use framework being done and I believe we’ve secured time with committee to go over the land use framework and then I’ll be going to regional leaders with that as well. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, when departments fall within the policy that is in place, there is no purpose for it to come to Cabinet except, for example, negotiated contracts and, again, depending on the dollar value of that. Let’s be clear so we don’t muddy the waters when it comes to the Olympics. There was an RFP, is my understanding, for that Olympic process that went out there again in conjunction with our partner territories. But when it comes to department initiatives, if they fit within the policy and the approval limits, then that’s just normal course of business that’s out there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the negotiations section we would be involved, for example, when it comes to the negotiation time of it and what’s being negotiated, but for actual land use framework plans, I believe it is within the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that deals with that area specifically. Again, this area of negotiations, we’d be involved with at the negotiation process and then the further section on implementation, we would have some involvement on that side of it too. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe that can be done, if that is the will of the leaders in the Northwest Territories to pursue one part of this agreement. Again, it was by design of our government, the past Government of the Northwest Territories and the regional leadership to come up with this combined approach, but I believe it can be separated if that is the will of the leadership in the Territory. Thank you.

I think that falls in a number of categories. The area we would be involved with is probably in support of the end product of a devolution agreement. Who has those authorities? When do they make them? What kind of consultation do they do in making a decision? There would be areas where there are joint initiatives that we have some authority of and we would go to the appropriate department; for example, Environment and Natural Resources and some of those areas that they would be involved with. There would be some areas that ITI would be involved with, for example. Those specific issues we...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There’s only one identified position with the Public Utilities Board and that is in Hay River.

Let’s be clear, though, the Olympics side of it, I don’t believe there’s a tie between what the Member has raised as a sole-source contract and the actual Olympic program that’s in place. For deputy ministers and senior staff of the Government of the Northwest Territories, past, that is, we can definitely sit down at some point and set some time up to go through the policies of this government. We’re using what’s been in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.