Mr. Speaker, again I’d like to ask the

Premier if he also can keep Members on this side involved in that process. By working together and also having a strong enough focus on this, I think we can make a difference. I think by lobbying efforts and doing whatever we can as Members and also as Ministers to keep this at the top of the agenda, it will move a little bit.

I’d like to ask the Premier: are there any intentions of developing some sort of kit or package we can hand out to promote this issue? As Members on this side of the House, it will help us to understand the issue and, more importantly, promote it also.

We would be prepared to put

that kit together, an information package, and share it with Members. I do believe Members can help us in getting the message up north. The simple fact that we’re looking at tightening our belts as a government shows everybody in the North that we need to get more revenues in the North. One of those packages is a revenue source flowing south right now. We need to bring that north so we can enhance our programs and not have to tighten our belts.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short

supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Senate

committee was also pretty interested in a lot of our infrastructure projects. We’re talking about the Mackenzie Highway; we’re talking about Taltson; we’re talking about hydro development. Again, the problem we have is our borrowing limit. That’s something they also found pretty interesting: why is it that we’re limited on the amount of capital we can invest, which is going to promote…?

Do you have a question, Mr. Krutko?

I’d like to ask the Premier: are we

looking at also promoting other aspects of this

government to get capital invested in the North from the federal government, more than the devolution?

Mr. Speaker, absolutely. As

I stated in the Budget Address, my focus will now be on getting the message out to the people who need to hear it: about our opportunity, what’s available and what we can do. It’s about getting the tools in the North to make those decisions in the North, and get on with where we think we should be going as a territory and as a people in the Northwest Territories.

Part of the next process is getting that information out there, and getting the message out about the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 8,

written questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we

discussed the Department of Human Resources, we had conversations and discussions at length about affected employees. At that time some Members referenced aboriginal employees.

I have a question for the Minister of Human Resources in regard to some other employees. Of the employees designated as “affected” in the 2008–2009 budget reductions:

1) How many of these employees are women?

2) What percentage are women of the total

number of affected employees?

3) How many of the affected employees are

single women?

4) What percentage are single women of the total

number of affected employees?

5) How many of the affected employees are

single men?

6) What percentage are single men of the total

affected number of employees?

Thank you, Ms.

Bisaro. Item

9,

returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item

11, petitions. Item

12,

reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item

14, tabling of documents. Item

15,

notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. I

give

notice that on Friday, June 6, 2008, I will move that Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the first time.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 17,

motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Bill 10 has had

second reading and stands referred to standing committee.

Motion carried; Bill 10, An Act to Amend the

Pharmacy Act, read a second time and referred to a committee.

Item 20, consideration in Committee

of the Whole of bills and other matters. Bill 8, Tabled Document 37-16(2), Committee Reports 6-16(2), 7-16(2).

By the authority given to me as Speaker by Motion 10-16(2), I

hereby authorize the House to sit

beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.

I’d like to call the

Committee of the Whole to order.

Committee of the Whole, in consideration of bills and other matters: Bill 8, Committee Report 2-16(2), Committee Report 3-16(2), Committee Report 4-16(2), Committee Report 5-16(2), Committee Report 6-16(2), Committee Report 7-16(2), Tabled Document 37-16(2).

What’s the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The wish of the committee is to continue with the Main Estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services today.

Does committee agree?

At this time, I would like

to ask the Minister if she’d be bringing any witnesses. Ms. Lee.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Does committee agree?

Okay. We’ll take a break

until the witnesses get here. Thank you.

The Committee of the Whole took a short

recess.