Joe Handley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members know, the Northern Strategy was an initiative that was undertaken jointly by the three northern Premiers and the Prime Minister of the day. There was an agreed need to take a long-term vision on northern issues as well as to deal with immediate issues. That strategy has resulted in the $40 million that was made available to our territory. Thirty-five million dollars has gone to the communities in community initiatives.

Mr. Speaker, with the new federal government, Minister Prentice has indicated that, yes, he wants us to work with him on what he referred...

Mr. Speaker, yes, we have a number of aboriginal governments and aboriginal organizations across the Territories. Some have settled claims and they would like to get on with and join the economic benefits that come from their claim and from economic activity. We have others who are in the process of negotiating claims. They would like to settle those negotiations first.

Mr. Speaker, let me say, when Minister Prentice was in Norman Wells in April for the Circle of Northern Leaders, he was quite clear there that he was ready to proceed in what he called the best interest of the majority of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to recognize my former constituent who lived in Weledeh and is now living in Winnipeg, continues to be my constituent-at-large and was in town for the graduation of one of her children. Thank you. It’s Ms. Major Karen Hoeft. Thank you.

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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take this opportunity to highlight a number of important initiatives undertaken by this government over the past year. I also want to bring Members up to date on an important national initiative that will be a large focus of our work over the remaining seventeen months of our mandate.

First, I would ask all Members of this Legislative Assembly to join me in recognizing and thanking the people and community of Inuvik, along with all the volunteers, emergency personnel, GNWT staff and others who assisted the people of Aklavik during the recent flood in that community...

Mr. Speaker, I assure all the Members in this House that we are going to continue to work in cooperation with all of the Premiers. We met last week in Gimli. We did talk generally about this. This is the expert panel report. The Premiers all assured myself and the other northern Premiers that they are 100 percent on side with us. We are meeting again on Thursday. We will be talking about the territorial report as well as the provincial report dealing with equalization. We have full agreement that they are 100 percent behind us, that our situation is unique, that we shouldn’t be drawn...

Mr. Speaker, I have not spoken directly to Minister Blackburn on this issue. I have been talking on several occasions with Minister Prentice, the Minister of DIAND. I know he's very aware of this, and the federal government, who has authority in this matter, is watching this very closely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I have to say again that there is a process that is ongoing. Mr. Speaker, I know there was a news item this morning -- I didn't catch it all -- on this. But there's two sides in this. There's an offer on the table. There's, I believe, some consideration of it. These are negotiations that are ongoing and it would not be appropriate for our government to intervene at this point while negotiations are still going on. Some day if this comes to a complete grinding halt, then it may be necessary. But at this point, Mr. Speaker, I'll restate that I believe it's too early for us....

Mr. Speaker, when two sides at a bargaining table come to an impasse, that isn't the end of the whole process. Mr. Speaker, there is a process of mediation; there's a process of arbitration. Those are things that the federal Minister responsible for the Canada Labour Code has to make decisions on. So, Mr. Speaker, really we're partway through a process here. There's other steps that can be followed and should be pursued before our government, without any authority in this matter, tries to intervene in this. So, Mr. Speaker, I just urge both sides to work toward an agreement. If they can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's no doubt that the mining industry is important to our government and to the people in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, there is a process that's ongoing, a negotiating process and it has to go through its various stages as both sides work diligently to come to an agreement. Mr. Speaker, as the Member has pointed out, this is really under the Canada Labour Code. While there may be a place for us someday in this, I believe that it's premature for us to begin to intervene in this process in any way at this point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, yes, the GNWT will be there on June 19th and on further negotiating sessions. With regard to our position on the various issues, Mr. Speaker, I would like to leave that to the negotiators. I don’t have enough detail to be able to enter that debate in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.