Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. “What if” questions are always difficult to answer. As I have indicated to the Member in this House and in writing September 10th, we have initiated and embarked upon a process with the aboriginal governments, the management boards, our own departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories and stakeholders, to try to resolve that issue; two competing rights of first refusal. In this case, the Gwich’in were given the right of first refusal first. It can only be offered once and then it’s no longer first refusal. So that’s the question we have to try to answer...

The process we’ve embarked on when this issue came to light is to consult with, of course, other departments, the aboriginal governments, the stakeholders, the management boards, to come up, over the coming months, with, hopefully, some resolution, advice and recommendations of how to remedy this issue in its entirety. Thank you.

No, Mr. Chairman. It is just a comment. I am very aware of the Member’s concern about this project. I will take his comment as offered. Thank you.

I have been involved in this issue since we first became aware of it. We’ve had discussions with the deputy and we’ve agreed on a course of action. The deputy, the most senior official in the Department of Natural Resources, is on this issue. We are getting the folks to the table and we are going to have this resolved hopefully through the process I have been talking about in this House today. Thank you.

It’s our intention as a government to honour all our obligations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s our understanding that this program is now considered fully subscribed to and there won’t be any further availability for it to access or advance projects under this time-specific pot of money. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re talking a situation that involves dual jurisdictions, it involves conflicting rights of first refusal. I’ve indicated in this House that we’ve initiated a process within the Government of the Northwest Territories, with the aboriginal governments, with the management boards and stakeholders over the coming months to look at this whole issue in relation to how we do business, our obligations under the land claims and the roles of the boards that are creatures of those land claims, and we expect to have, hopefully, a resolution to that in the coming months. Thank...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has always been, and continues to be, an important area for scientific research by governments, regulatory bodies, industry and academic institutions.

Later today the Honourable Jackson Lafferty will table the Building a Path for Northern Science: Government of the Northwest Territories Science Agenda. This is the first time the GNWT has clearly defined and prioritized government-wide scientific research needs. Work on the Science Agenda began in 2007 and is the result of extensive consultation with GNWT employees engaged in research, researchers and...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This program was over two years looking for the term of shovel-ready projects focussed on assisting post-secondary institutions. So this fund is very specific. The issue the Member has raised about his library is going to be addressed through ECE through other processes and other funding pots. Thank you.