Thank you very much.
Good morning. On behalf of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government and its citizens, I want to thank everyone for allowing us the opportunity to speak before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs about Bill C-27.
The creation of the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government will provide stability and certainty for local investment and development, with recognition of our ancestral identity through education, policy and program delivery. Passing Bill C-27 will provide parliamentary recognition and acknowledgement of our right to self-determination within the Constitution framework of Canada. This right to self-determination is established through the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement.
Once we receive parliamentary recognition and acknowledgement of the right to self-determination, we will be able to exercise indigenous decision-making authority that accommodates our ancestral traditions and the modern living standard and needs of our citizens. Specifically, we can represent ourselves in protecting our heritage and pursuing economic opportunities that align with national security and sovereignty through government-to-government relationships.
Bill C-27 and our final self-government agreement do not grant our self-government with additional aboriginal titles or expand existing ones. What we will have is what is already provided through the Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. The Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government will continue to function within the town of Norman Wells and be a stable source of revenue for our community.
The community is at a critical juncture, as our biggest economic driver is shutting down. We have anticipated this day. However, once Bill C-27 is passed, the Tłegǫ́hłı̨ Got’įnę Government will be able to directly participate in opening up resource exploration and other economic development opportunities. I want to be clear: Our final self-government agreement does not take away private land titles. In fact, we encourage private sector investment at fair market value and provide equitable treatment for our citizens.
With this, I ask this committee and all members of Parliament to pass this bill as soon as possible so that we can have an effective date of August 1, 2026. Otherwise, we will be required to hold a general election on September 7, 2026. As I do not want to run for an elected position again and I also do not want to leave behind an incomplete transition process, as that will create uncertainty and instability, I want to complete this transition so that the next leadership will inherit a functioning self-government, allowing them to focus on attracting investments, generating economic opportunities and creating programs and services that preserve our indigenous heritage.
Mahsi cho. Thank you very much.