Richard Edjericon

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 420(1), Minister's Statement 520(1), Minister's Statement 1720(1), Minister's Statement 2420(1) and would like to report progress. And, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Does committee agree?

Thank you. And I understand the negotiation process. I was part of that process as well. Going back to 1967 to date, so it'd be nice if this government could start looking as to how we're going to be dealing with taxation through that process so that sorry? To the question. The question is basically through negotiations that the taxation compensation to Akaitcho Treaty 8 be looked at from 1967 going forward? Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Part of the oath of office for all the MLAs, again, it just talks about that we'll continue to honour and respect the treaties signed with Indigenous governments, so help me God. So I am happy to hear that from the Premier. Thank you for that.

How do we ensure future laws do not impose taxes on First Nations in breaching trust sorry, breach of their treaty rights on Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 territory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that Canada and the GNWT's bound legally by section 35 in UNDRIP to bring themselves in compliance with Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 rights, the question is how is this new government working to implement section 35 UNDRIP with existing treaties in partnership with Indigenous governments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission strongly recommends that the full and meaningful implementation of the United Nation Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People in order to achieve reconciliation. Last year the previous Assembly passed a bill to implement UNDRIP and ensure all future laws were consist with those principles. UNDRIP complements the rights of Indigenous people as set out in section 35 of the Canadian Constitution which upholds treaty rights. Under both UNDRIP and section 35, Canada, and by extension the GNWT, now have federal and...

Mr. Speaker, it has been 24 years since the Akaitcho Dene First Nation, the Government of Canada, and Government of the Northwest Territories came together to sign an interim measures Agreement, and they worked towards a land claim self-government agreement. Negotiations to reach an agreement-in-principle have contingencies since then without much progress until last year when the former Premier Caroline Cochrane announced that there's an agreement on land claims and self-government agreement for the Akaitcho was finally in sight. A draft agreement was reached last year, and Premier Cochrane...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too will be supporting this motion. In the last two years I've been advocating housing is a big issue in our riding and throughout the Northwest Territories, and to this day I still got a family member in Lutselk'e that are taking out 16 buckets of raw sewage from the bathtub. The only reason why is because they -- the homeowner is falling through the cracks of the policies of the Government of the Northwest Territories. So the other thing is that I also am going to be proposing to the housing corporation -- or Housing NWT is that, through partnerships with Indigenous...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Premier. Would the Premier be able to go back and talk to the Indigenous leaders and figure a way around how we could get Akaitcho involved to getting royalties off their backyard? I think if we could maybe start that dialogue, that would be great. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Premier, for your response. Does the Premier think an agreement-in-principle is possible within the life span of this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.