R.J. Simpson

Thank you. So I believe we actually have an observer on the committee. We've been -- you know, and I've been in talks with the Premier of the Yukon on this and talking about how we can better collaborate, and as the three northern territories, we do collaborate on these types of initiatives. Every chance we get, we get up in front of a microphone and we talk about these security issues. You know, there's a good relationship at the official level between my deputy minister and staff in the department of defence. And I can say that I've seen that relationship -- I'll say it's improved in the...

Thank you. As shared with Members and reported widely in the press, the title is senior envoy to the Government of Canada. Thank you.

Thank you. I appreciate those comments.

Thank you. So we don't have a formal contract in place with such an entity but we have used services of, you know, firms in Ottawa, especially when we were travelling down for the -- with the Council of Leaders or as part of the Council of Leaders, and they helped, you know, set up meetings and even things like arranging media interviews and things like that. So, yes, we have used those services in the past. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So one of the issues is that I want to have a chance to actually meet with the Indigenous governments, talk about negotiations, learn from them what their issues and concerns are, familiarize myself with our mandates and our positions on the concerns from Indigenous governments or our positions on their positions. And, you know, we've been through a full year now. We've had a number of those meetings. And we are actively working on looking at ways to adjust our mandates, if necessary, to ensure that we can make some progress. And so I'm confident that in the first half of...

Thank you. And I know the Member is a fluent French Speaker, and so we do have Services TNO in Yellowknife which is sort of what the Member's referring to in some ways, a one-stop shop. But we are making incremental moves towards a -- potentially towards a service model like the Member is talking about. In different jurisdictions across Canada, they do have, you know, service, you know, whatever, whatever province you're in, that's the service department. And so that is an opportunity.

One thing that I didn't want to do here was try and overhaul everything all at once. You know, it's a lot of...

Thank you. Well, I can't speak to every single table but, you know, it's very -- it could be a possibility for sure. I'm hoping to move things along in the way that they need to be moved because, you know, we're only here four years, and I do want to see movement on these. Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you. I agree. And part of the issue is -- just as sort of an education piece for the NGOs, you know, government is very -- almost regimented in the budgeting cycle, and we need to ensure that NGOs are aware of where we are in that cycle. You know, everyone has to be their own advocate, and so we will work with the NGOs but we also want to empower them to advocate when they need to to ensure that they're keeping us honest as well. So thank you.

Two years into the last government. Thank you.