Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome my colleagues back for the final sitting of the 18^th Legislative Assembly.

The past four years have been busy and we have done a lot of good work together. We have also had a few spirited discussions about how to decide what is best for the people that we serve as Members of this Assembly.

Throughout our term, our decisions have been guided by the Mandate we adopted unanimously at the beginning of this Assembly and revised in October 2017.

Thank you, I am pleased to see you all here today. I am looking forward to a good discussion about the growing importance of the Arctic at the international level and what that means for Canada as a nation and as a global actor on the geopolitical stage.

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Good morning and thank you for being here for the NWT Economic Partners' Collaboration Symposium.

I am pleased to see so many faces in the room. These types of events are important to the economic health of our territory. They give us an opportunity to speak openly about the challenges we’re facing, and work together to come up with suggestions about how best to address them, while still respecting the individual rights, legal authorities and priorities of each government.

Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod has made the following statement welcoming the Government of Canada’s recent submission on Canada’s extended continental shelf:

“Ensuring Canada’s Arctic rights are recognized within international law is an important component of further strengthening Canada’s position in the Arctic, along with supporting the development of the region including its people and governments.

The annual Premier’s Awards for Excellence were held in the Caribou Room of the Chateau Nova Hotel this morning.

 The Premier’s Award recognizes the outstanding achievement of individual GNWT employees or teams of GNWT employees who continue to strive for excellence, best practice management and improvements in the workplace.

The Premier’s Award for Collaboration recognizes the outstanding achievement of GNWT employees in teams who work in partnership with other government and non-government employees to improve services to Northwest Territories’ residents.

Mr. Speaker, thirty-five years ago today, the Committee for Original People’s Entitlement, or COPE, signed the Inuvialuit Final Agreement with the Government of Canada on behalf of the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic. The Inuvialuit Final Agreement was the first comprehensive land claim agreement north of the 60^th parallel and only the second of its kind in Canada. In many ways, this agreement led the way for the future negotiation of land, resources and self-government agreements in this territory and, perhaps, in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome all Members back to the continuation of the Third Session of the 18^th Legislative Assembly. As we near the end of our term, our government continues to focus on advancing the priorities of the Assembly and fulfilling remaining mandate items. These are intended to help create a better future for all residents of the Northwest Territories, including the advancement of outstanding claims and self-government negotiations.

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your invitation to appear before the Standing Committee today as you review Bill C-88 - An Act to amend the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act.

As you review this bill, I would like to share with you some of the Northwest Territories recent history which is specific to the NWT offshore and the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

Good afternoon,

It is great to be here in Seattle for Arctic Encounters 2019.

As a leader from an Arctic region, and as an Indigenous person, I have made it my life’s work to encourage the right kinds of development, collaboration and opportunity for the people of the North. For us in the Northwest Territories, responsible resource development remains one of most meaningful paths to promote opportunity and self-sufficiency for our residents.

The Arctic is the future, and how that future is built and managed be led by and meet the needs of Northerners.