This is page numbers 1945 - 1984 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was program.

Topics

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1953

Some Hon. Members

Whoa.

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1953

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

If I had a billion dollars, I wouldn't forget the arts and crafts. Artists need raw materials and supplies and they need them fast because in Yellowknife tourism is getting to critical mass.

If I had a billion dollars, I'd support the trappers and their traditional lifestyle by buying everyone a fur coat, and that really isn't cruel. I'm not just thinking about the Sahtu, I'd buy for all the MLAs and their communities.

---Applause

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1953

Some Hon. Members

Hey, hey.

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

If I had a billion dollars, I'd give Nahanni a real gym.

---Applause

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Some Hon. Members

Ho ho ho.

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Cause they don't have one yet, and Granny needs to dunk basketballs too.

---Laughter

And Dene K'onia staff would stay in Hay River and feed their children too. If I had a billion dollars, I'd build new courthouses in all the NWT communities.

---Laughter

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

An Hon. Member

Whoa, no way!

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, we'd all be rich. Mahsi.

---Applause

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

An Hon. Member

Alright.

---Applause

Spending Priorities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Your Speaker is certainly glad that this could be the last day.

---Laughter

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Broadband Business Alliance
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not going to sing. I'd like to, but I won't. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate an aboriginal owned corporation with their offices in Weledeh. This afternoon I was told that because of the efforts of this company, that all communities in the NWT will, by the end of this year, have broadband Internet services.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, the Denendeh Development Corporation is a community champion of the Broadband Business Alliance, and will be signing a contribution agreement with Industry Canada as part of an overall project worth $16.7 million. This is the culmination of two years of effort by Denendeh Development Corporation and its five partners in the Broadband Business Alliance. The other partners in the alliance, Mr. Speaker, in addition to the Denendeh Development Corporation, are the Dogrib Treaty 11, Deline Land Corporation, Tetlit Gwich'in Council, Deninu Kue Development Corporation and Deh Cho Economic Corporation.

The Broadband Alliance will be using state-of-the-art satellite and wireless technology to connect 31 communities across the Territories. The benefits are many. This includes the support of value-added applications such as tele-health, tele-education and remote video conferencing. Training and capacity building will be provided by the Broadband Business Alliance.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like this House to congratulate the Broadband Business Alliance and its community champion, the Denendeh Development Corporation, for its efforts and perseverance in putting forth and making this technology available to the benefit of all northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Broadband Business Alliance
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Fort Smith Volunteers
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, starting today in Fort Smith we will also be launching our annual carnival, the Wood Buffalo Frolics, and they'll be starting off with a feast tonight. I'll be home tomorrow to take part in the festivities over the weekend.

As Minister McLeod mentioned, the weekend after next we're having the first Northern Games in Fort Smith. I'd like to thank the Minister for his leadership on that issue but, most of all, like every community, I'd like to recognize the many volunteers that work tirelessly to make these events possible, that raise the quality of life for all of us and to give us activities that we would never have if we didn't have their services. So I invite everyone to come to the first NWT Games next weekend and all of you with your carnivals, have nothing but fun and today was obviously the best Member's statement day of the session.

Fort Smith Volunteers
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

Some Hon. Members

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

Fort Smith Volunteers
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1954

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 426-15(3): Establishment Of Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 1954

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Zoe on February 18, 2005, regarding the establishment of the Council of Sport and Recreation Partners.

Mr. Speaker, during the October 2004 session, I tabled the implementation schedule for the establishment of the Northwest Territories Council of Sport and Recreation Partners. I am pleased to report that the implementation process is proceeding as scheduled, and I expect that the council will hold its first annual general meeting in April 2005.

Further, I am pleased to report that all sport and recreation partners are fully involved in this process, and have contributed significantly to the successful steps taken to date.

The Member for North Slave also asked how the proceeds of the Western Canada Lottery Program will assist the council.

Mr. Speaker, in 2004, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in cooperation with Sport North and the Department of Justice, completed a review of the Western Canada Lottery Act regulations. These regulations dictate how the Lottery Program must be conducted.

Mr. Speaker, once the Northwest Territories Council of Sport and Recreation Partners is established, it will implement a process of cooperative budget development, which will result in more resources being allocated to programs and less to administrative overlap or duplication among the various partners. The council will also be responsible for making recommendations on the allocation of the proceeds of the Western Canada Lottery Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 426-15(3): Establishment Of Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 1955

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 5, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 497-15(3): Wcb Appeals Tribunal
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 1955

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Braden on Monday, February 28, 2005, regarding the Workers' Compensation Board Appeals Tribunal.

How many cases are before the Appeals Tribunal today and what is the average turnover or turnaround in waiting times for those appeals?

The Appeals Tribunal currently has 23 cases before them. The average turnaround time has been 200 working days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 497-15(3): Wcb Appeals Tribunal
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 1955

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1955

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I noted earlier today in my statement, we've been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. To mark the occasion, there's been a conference in town from the 8th through today, and with us today in the gallery we have 20 judges who have been participating in the conference. I'd like to introduce them. We have Justice Ted Richard from the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

We have Justice John Vertes from the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

We have Justice Virginia Schuler from the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

From Nunavut we have Justice Beverly Browne...

---Applause

...and Justice Rob Kilpatrick...

---Applause

...and Justice Earl Johnson.

---Applause

From the Yukon we have Justice Ron Veale...

---Applause

...and Justice Leigh Gower.

---Applause

With us also is Justice C. Scott Brooker from Alberta.

---Applause

Justice Wallace Darichuk from Manitoba.

---Applause

Justice Howard Irving from Alberta.

---Applause

Justice Arthur Lutz from Alberta.

---Applause

Justice Ernest Marshall from Alberta.

---Applause

Justice John O'Flynn from Ontario.

---Applause

Justice Rejean Paul from Quebec.

---Applause

Justice Peter Power from Alberta.

---Applause

Justice Joanne Veit from Alberta.

---Applause

Justice Randall Wong from B.C.

---Applause

Justice Mary Moreau from Alberta...

---Applause

...and Justice Vital Ouellette from Alberta.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1955

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1955

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to welcome all of the judges, especially a friend from my days in the Yukon, Justice Ron Veale. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a constituent, an injured worker and a great advocate on behalf of injured workers, Mr. John Huffman.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1956

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1956

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a Member of this House and a very proud non-practicing member of the bar, may I take this opportunity also to welcome all of the justices and I have appeared before some of them and I dream about appearing before them in my other times. I'd like to just welcome all the justices. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1956

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.