R.J. Simpson

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and have Bill 42 deemed ready for third reading. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 42, Tlego'hli Got'ine Final Self-Government Agreement Act; and, Statement of Consistency for Bill 42, Tlego'hli Got'ine Final Self-Government Agreement Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over my time overseeing the integrated service delivery Yellowknife unit, which was previously integrated case management in Yellowknife, or under the Department of Justice, I've had numerous opportunities to inquire about their ability to take on more and do more, and the answer always comes back the same in that they are fully committed with the work that they have now. That being said, I will go back, and I will have a conversation and see what comes back, but I expect that what I am saying here in the House of what I've heard in the past will be the same answer...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am a little confused. I think I heard two questions. One was about Metis rights, which is maybe from a different statement; I am not sure. But the other is what we're going to do to get the action plan going. There's an action plan committee. They first met in April of 2024, I believe. They have been working on the action plan for a number of years since then. I have written to them. I said I expect it to be presented by the date as required under the legislation. I was informed they were not in a position to share that. We are continuing to press to have it completed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's a good question, and all of those answers are actually found in the legislation. So the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act was passed at the end of the last government. It may have been our last sitting actually. Because there was a no coming into force clause, the legislation actually came into force immediately, which I believe was last October 6th -- perhaps -- 2023. I am looking at the clerks to see if they're nodding their heads but they are stone-faced so no support there. Which meant the clock started ticking...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize our former colleague and Tlicho Grand Chief Jackson Lafferty. As well, I want to recognize the individuals that my colleague from Hay River South recognized and all of the mentors, apprentices, and language champions that we're lucky enough to have with us in the gallery today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 42, Tlego'hli Got'ine Final Self-Government Agreement Act, be read for the second time.

The proposed Tlego'hli Got'ine Final Self-Government Agreement Act will approve and give legal effect to the Final Self-Government Agreement for the Tlego'hli Got'ine. The Act is comprised of provisions addressing the approval of, giving effect to, and declaring valid of, the final self-government agreement, including the governance, legal structure, and authority of the Tlego'hli Got'ine government, authorizing the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I would recommend that when there are proposals like this, they be brought forward at a point in the planning process that they could then make it into, you know, a future main estimate. So right now, we have the main estimates in front of us, in front of committee, and the money for the budget for next year is in that document, and there is not a line item for what the Member is speaking about. That being said, it's now on the radar and it could be something that is considered going forward but it would be, I am guessing, a significant investment of resources and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will step in here, as the integrated service delivery Yellowknife falls under EIA right now. So that program is essentially a pathfinding program where individuals who are in contact with a number of different government departments to receive services, whether it's income support and housing and social services. We have pathfinders there who help these individuals make their way through the system, which is not the ideal end goal that we want. We want a system where we don't need the pathfinders. That being said, that's what we have right now. And through our service...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am required as the Minister under the legislation to table the action plan in the House, and I failed to do that. It's because I didn't have an action plan to table. And so once again the action plan committee is comprised of officials from the Government of the Northwest Territories as well as a number of Indigenous governments. I was not in a position to go to one of their meetings and take the papers off the desk and say this is what you have at this date, this is what I am tabling. And so I am still waiting for the action plan committee to submit an action plan...