Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk to you about an issue of lifeguard services at the Fred Henne Territorial Park this upcoming summer. I should truly say the lack thereof of services. The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has said that they will no longer contract with the City of Yellowknife to provide lifeguarding services so there will be no lifeguards this summer at the Long Lake beach.
Mr. Speaker, as I see it, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has misinterpreted their contract with the City of Yellowknife, which I will table later this afternoon. Firstly, the terms of this agreement in section 6 of this contract, it says to consider this ongoing, unless cancelled by either party in writing by January 1st of each year. To my knowledge, this has not happened by either party. This agreement states that Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is responsible to the City of Yellowknife for supplementing the cost of lifeguarding services to the tune of $12,500. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not point out that that was an equally shared partnership between the City of Yellowknife and the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, and one further point to say is the cost significantly rose since the original agreement was struck.
Mr. Speaker, secondly, I would further like to go on and report that, in the May 14th Yellowknifer, the main reason Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development does not want to fulfill their agreement with the City of Yellowknife and provide lifeguarding services is because they do not want to assume the liability that occurs at this territorial park. Mr. Speaker, section 4.7 of this contractual agreement between the City of Yellowknife and the GNWT states, "shall indemnify and save harmless the Commissioner and the GNWT from any losses, costs, claims, charges, suits, actions or judgment made, brought or recovered against the Commissioner of the NWT or resulting from any negligent acts or omissions by the City of Yellowknife or its employees in connection with this service."
Mr. Speaker, I, therefore, say, given that liability need not be an issue for cancelling the lifeguarding services at Long Lake, given that in every area of our lives the GNWT encourages us to be safe, they educate us about dangers of smoking and not to drink and drive, to wear helmets on bicycles...Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to continue and finish my Member's statement?