MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions, again, are for the honourable Premier. I would like to pick up with the questions that I left off with. I know the Premier had mentioned the fact that we don't want to be bought off on side deals, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier; if we are not to be bought of on side deals, what am I to make of the $40 million in the Northern Strategy money? What am I to make of the $500 million socioeconomic agreement? Are these not side deals that cloud the devolution and resource revenue negotiations currently at play? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

HON. JOE HANDLEY: Mr. Speaker, let me deal with each of those. Mr. Speaker, the $40 million was an amount that was given to each of the territories to enable them to deal with emergency, high-priority issues facing their territories. It had nothing to do with devolution. It was money that was given to each of us as good will on the signing of the framework agreement on the Northern Strategy.

Mr. Speaker, on the $500 million, we have been very clear that that money does not come to the Government of the Northwest Territories. That is money for the communities that are impacted by the pipeline, and only those communities.

Again, it has nothing to do with resource revenue sharing or our devolution talks. That is money meant to help alleviate the impact of the pipeline and related development. Those are not monies to buy us off or keep us quiet or whatever it may be, or any kind of smokescreen. Those are legitimate funds in their own sense. Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I have a different opinion on the $500 million than the Premier does. I would like to know who is going to look after the 11 other communities that aren't part of this $500 million socioeconomic agreement. Does this government represent those other communities and have an obligation to those other communities outside of the Mackenzie Valley that are going to be impacted by this development to do something? To do something means to get us a deal on resource revenue sharing and devolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

HON. JOE HANDLEY: Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation to everybody in the Territories. We are the public government for the Territories. Mr. Speaker, the $500 million, no matter how we might want to characterize it, is money meant for those communities along the Mackenzie Valley pipeline route. It is there specifically for socioeconomic mitigation.

Mr. Speaker, we always take into consideration the needs of the other communities. We will, and have been, looking after the needs of all communities to the best of our ability, given our resources. We have, where there is major development, entered into socioeconomic agreements. We have them with the mines, and we will have one with the pipeline, as well. That socioeconomic agreement is there to protect the rights of all people in the Territories. It is not limited just to the communities impacted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Getting back to potential side deals, Mr. Speaker, I wanted to again ask the Premier if, indeed, he is aware of the private Member's bill in the Yukon, which is going to ask the federal government to exempt the GST being paid on energy costs and fuel bills, Mr. Speaker. It looks good on the Yukon, and I would like to see our Premier follow up with that private Member's bill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

HON. JOE HANDLEY: Mr. Speaker, I am only very generally aware of it. I don't believe it is a private Member's bill. It is a private Member's motion, at this point. But, Mr. Speaker, yes, I am generally aware of it.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier; what faith can the communities that are not part of this $500 million socioeconomic money, what have they got to look forward to? I have been here for two years and we haven't seen any movement on the resource revenue front, we haven't seen any movement on devolution and, in my mind, we are going backwards. This $500 million, Mr. Speaker, in my mind, is an absolute smokescreen from Ottawa to take the light off of the real issue. The real issue is getting us resource revenue sharing, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know, and to ask the Premier when that will happen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 200-15(4): Federal Socioeconomic Impact Funding

HON. JOE HANDLEY: Mr. Speaker, we are making progress on devolution and resource revenue sharing. I just gave Members an update in my Minister's statement today, outlining that there are only six outstanding issues, and that I have given a proposal to the federal government on how we can resolve these to get onto an AIP. We have our ask on the resource revenue sharing; we are not going to leave a lot of resource revenues slip out of this territory, if we can help it. We are bargaining hard on it, and will continue to bargain hard. But there is progress being made. We are moving along, but it is a major initiative that is one that we entered into without expecting that the federal government was just going to roll over and give us something that we were asking for right away.

Mr. Speaker, we have that kind of progress that is being made. At the same time, we have made good progress on the Northern Strategy. We have got the $35 million that has gone out to the communities, plus another $4 million going into housing, and another $1 million going youth and recreational programs. There is money going out there.

In addition, we have, through the Minister of Finance's efforts, also managed to improve our fiscal situation considerably, and are able to deliver a higher level of programs than has ever been achieved in the past. There is a lot going on. I could go on with the arrangements that we have with the mining communities as well, but we will do that another time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

NWT Hansard – October 20, 2005