Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber.

Before we begin, colleagues, yesterday in the House a number of points of order were raised during oral questions. The first point of order, raised by Mrs. Groenewegen, alleged that the Premier, in response to questions about the Deh Cho Bridge, misled the House. I quote from page 40 of unedited Hansard: “Mr. Speaker, the Premier is not telling the entire story, and he is misleading the House.”

This is not a point of order. In fact, parliamentary rules and practices are clear that an accusation of this sort may only be made by way of substantive motion, not by way of point of order.

In dealing with the point of order, Mr. Ramsay supported Mrs.

Groenewegen by saying, and I

quote again from page 41 of unedited Hansard: “When the Premier can stand in this House and say that the banks are solely responsible for that $160

million, it is not true. It is not true,

Mr. Speaker.” This intervention by Mr. Ramsay led to a second point of order by the Premier under Rule 23(j), which prohibits Members from charging one another with uttering a deliberate falsehood.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with stating in the House that certain information is not accurate. In certain circumstances, it is even acceptable to suggest that certain information is misleading. It is always the case in dealing with allegations of unparliamentary language that the content, tone and intention of the Member speaking must be taken into consideration. The degree of provocation and whether the remarks cause disorder in the House are also relevant.

In reviewing the unedited Hansard, it is clear that Mrs. Groenewegen, in rising to her point of order, and Mr. Ramsay in supporting it, went further than to suggest that the Premier’s answers were misleading or inaccurate. The Members in questions were clearly suggesting that the Premier intended to provide false and misleading information to the House.

Accusations such as this are serious and are not to be made lightly. As Speaker, I encourage lively but respectful debate in this House. The issues that we deal with are important issues. They are issues that the people we represent take seriously and want to see us take seriously.

I find that Mr. Roland has a point of order. While it is unclear whether the point of order was raised solely in response to Mr. Ramsay’s allegations or was intended to cover Mrs. Groenewegen’s earlier comments as well, I find that both crossed a well-established and understood convention of respectful parliamentary debate.

I will first ask Mrs. Groenewegen to withdraw her remarks and apologize to the House.

I withdraw the remarks. I do apologize. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will then ask Mr. Ramsay if he is prepared to withdraw his remarks and apologize to the House.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. I do

withdraw my remarks and apologize to the Premier if I offended him.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay.

Item 2, Ministers’ statements.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise my colleagues that the Department of

Industry, Tourism and Investment has entered into an agreement with Industry Canada that will provide prospective business owners and entrepreneurs in the Northwest Territories with an easy and convenient means to access the critical information they need to establish and run a business.

The initiative is called BizPaL. It is an online service that provides businesses with one-stop access to permit and licence information for all levels of Government in the Northwest Territories and across Canada. Future entrepreneurs need only to answer a series of questions on the type of business they want to start or operate and the activities they plan to undertake. The BizPaL system will then automatically generate a list of all permits and licences required by all levels of governments. In addition, BizPaL will guide users to additional background information and links to the government sites where they can learn more and eventually even apply online.

Mr. Speaker, BizPaL will allow N.W.T. residents to cut through the paperwork and red tape that may impede or discourage them from pursuing their dream of owning and operating a small business.

For government, BizPaL provides the assurance that business clients will have information they need to meet all permit and licence requirements quickly and efficiently. It reflects not only this Assembly’s priority to support the development of small businesses and a sustainable local economy but also to seek out more client-focused, service-oriented approaches to delivering government information to N.W.T. residents.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Hon. Diane Ablonczy, Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism, for joining us in Yellowknife today on behalf of Industry Canada to formally acknowledge their jurisdiction’s shared commitment to the BizPaL initiative.

Departmental officials will be working in the coming months to finalize our network of N.W.T. partners. And I look forward to adding BizPaL to the growing list of programs and services provided by the G.N.W.T. in support of N.W.T. business.

Mr. Speaker, climate change is a serious problem that can significantly disrupt our global environment and affect the ability of Northern residents to lead healthy and productive lives.

The Northwest Territories is a global hot spot, having warmed on average two degrees a year compared to the global average of less than one

degree annually. If greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, continue to be released in large amounts, the North will continue to experience warming during the next few decades.

At the appropriate time today I will be tabling the Northwest Territories Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Report. This collaborative document outlines the problems we are experiencing because of climate change and the actions taken to date to adapt to them.

Members are aware of these problems. Many of you are seeing the effects of climate change in your own communities. These include melting permafrost and its effect on infrastructure, buildings, roads, airport runways and sewage lagoons; greater disruptions to winter roads as seasons get shorter and the ice gets thinner and less reliable; heavier snowfalls and more precipitation causing more pronounced spring flooding; and the introduction of new species of plants and animals as ecosystems begin to respond to warmer temperatures.

Mr. Speaker, climate change is a relatively new problem. The impacts described in this report have only started to become problems in the last ten years, but they are growing in severity and affecting entire ecosystems.

We have already started taking actions to adapt to these impacts. We repair and replace foundations that fail and develop new engineering practices to protect and insulate permafrost. Winter road construction techniques have been developed to create thick, load-bearing ice earlier in the season. Permanent bridges have been constructed on the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road to protect stream crossings and allow the road to stay open longer.

As impacts emerge, there is a need to ensure our monitoring programs can detect what is happening and, as much as possible, determine how we are going to adapt.

This report discusses immediate actions as well as long-term considerations to deal with these issues. This report provides enough background information to begin developing a climate change adaptation plan for the Northwest Territories.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will continue to work with other departments and stakeholders to better understand climate change, the resulting problems and to develop a plan to support continued actions.

We must demonstrate to the rest of Canada, and the world, that this government and our residents are taking this threat seriously. Only then can we expect the rest of the world to take it seriously too.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise that today the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories announced the signing of a framework agreement that will provide the Northwest Territories with funding of $245.8 million in total over the next seven years.

Interjections.

These dollars are to address public infrastructure needs and priorities in the Northwest Territories.

This funding is made available under the Building Canada plan, which is the Government of Canada’s new long-term infrastructure plan first announced in the 2007 federal budget.

Today we announce the first project that will be funded under this program. The Government of Canada has agreed to cost share the reconstruction of the Kakisa River Bridge.

This urgent priority in the existing capital plan is an important link for most highway traffic coming from other parts of Canada. The wider bridge will improve safety, and the design of the bridge will meet the needs of the Territory for decades to come. No other decisions have been made about projects to be funded.

Today’s announcement of the signing of a framework agreement is the first stage in a two-stage process. The framework agreement sets out the broad categories for eligible projects and the amount of funding to be made available to the Northwest Territories. The second phase, which will begin soon, is the negotiation of the actual funding agreement, which will outline details on project eligibility categories and the project approval process.

Until the funding agreement is actually negotiated and signed, it’s difficult to make final decisions about which projects will be funded. However, Canada has identified the broad categories which will be eligible that reflect the mixture of national priorities and local priorities. National priorities include water and waste water, public transit, highways and green energy projects. Local priorities include sports and culture, disaster mitigation, solid waste management, local roads and airports projects. Within these broad categories, each province and territory needs to negotiate the details of which projects will be eligible.

Generally, the Government of the Northwest Territories will allocate funding to transportation and community infrastructure priorities. Transportation priorities will come from the projects that are

already in our capital plan, from the capital needs assessment and from strategic documents such as Corridors for Canada and the government’s strategic plan.

Community government priorities will be identified in consultation with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and will be based on community capital plans. A list of possible projects will be finalized in the near future for review by the Financial Management Board and by standing committee.

I will be happy to provide my colleagues with progress reports as we continue negotiations on the funding agreement.

I’d like to draw attention to Ministers’ Statements being addressed that aren’t directly as put forward to the House without notice to the Government House Leader.

Mr. Speaker, the third week in February is celebrated across Canada as Heritage Week. This year the theme, “Telling Our Stories,” is particularly relevant to us in the Northwest Territories.

Storytelling is the time-honoured way that people in the North were traditionally educated through the passing on of their histories, cultures and traditions. Storytelling brings us together as a community, and it connects the generations.

I would like to highlight some of the Heritage Week events that will be taking place across the Northwest Territories this week.

The Fort Simpson Heritage Society and the Open Sky Creative Society are organizing activities that will focus on showcasing local history by telling the stories of individual families.

The City of Yellowknife Heritage Committee kicked off its celebration of Heritage Week last Sunday with an afternoon of storytelling.

The Northern Life Museum in Fort Smith has a full week of programs, including moccasin, beaver mitt and Metis sash crafting workshops led by local artisans, tours of the museum and a display of historical photos.

The Norman Wells Historical Centre is featuring an exhibit of moosehide craftwork by Sahtu Dene artisan Myrtle Harrison. Ms. Harrison was an NWT Arts Council recipient in 2005 for her work in traditional hide tanning.

The NWT Mining Heritage Society in Yellowknife is exhibiting George Hunter’s black and white

photographs at the Gourmet Cup coffee shop. The photos feature gold and uranium mining in N.W.T. in the 1950s, based on the book Not Only Gold. The display will remain until February 23.

The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre continues to feature the recently opened exhibition, Yamória: the one who travels. This exhibition tells many stories about this Dene hero through stories told by elders. This exhibit is well worth a trip to the museum if you have not been there recently.

I encourage Members and all Northerners to celebrate our heritage this week and all year round by continuing to share our oral history through our stories. Mahsi.

I am pleased to rise today and extend my very best wishes to the 350 athletes, coaches and managers who will make up Team NWT at the 2008 Arctic Winter Games being held here in Yellowknife from March 9 to 15.

For nearly a year now young people from across the Northwest Territories have been preparing themselves physically and mentally for this opportunity. They have been challenged along the way through regional and Territorial selections in order to achieve their goal of representing the Northwest Territories at this prestigious international celebration of sport and culture.

I congratulate all of the youth who have set these goals and challenged themselves to be the best through this process. Over 1,200 athletes and coaches attended the regional trials and over 819 will have attended the Territorials.

As these athletes move forward, I feel that it is important that we also acknowledge the monumental contributions that volunteers and parents make to support the youth. Without the coaches or referees or the track setters or scorekeepers or the thousands of others who give freely of their time, we would not be able to have a Team NWT. We owe these people our heartfelt thanks.

I also want to thank all of our sport and recreation partners who have contributed to this process. Our partners include the Sport North Federation and its member Territorial sport organizations, the Beaufort Delta Sahtu Recreation Association, the Mackenzie Recreation Association and the community governments who have hosted various selection events along the way. These partners have provided guidance and support and organized the many selection events across the Northwest Territories that have resulted in the final selection of Team NWT.

As Team NWT now goes through final preparations before the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Arctic Winter Games, I encourage them to continue to work hard and do their very best as always. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will deliver the budget address on Thursday, May 22, 2008.

Item 3, Members’ statements.

Today I rise on an issue we’ve heard a lot about over the last couple of weeks: the area of consultation.

It’s a fundamental right. It’s also right to have come by the way of land claim agreements and court cases and court challenges. Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important to realize that we do have an obligation to consult, regardless of whether it’s through a legal case in the Supreme Court of Canada or a land claim agreement.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll read the definition that it’s the Gwich’in Land Claim Agreement, which says:

“‘Consultation’ means (a) the provision, to the party to be consulted, of notice of a matter to be decided in sufficient form and detail to allow that party to prepare its views on the matter; (b) the provision of a reasonable period of time in which the party to be consulted may prepare its views on the matter, and provision of an opportunity to present such views to the party obliged to consult; and (c) full and fair consideration by the party obliged to consult of any views presented.”

Mr. Speaker, the land claim agreement is clear. They do have these obligations clearly spelled out. It’s clear. I’ll read under economic measures, chapter 10, Division Agreement. Again, 10.1.3 clearly states:

“Where government proposes economic development programs related to the objectives…government shall consult with the Gwich’in Tribal Council. (b) Government shall meet with the Gwich’in Tribal Council not less than once every three years to review the effectiveness of programs relating to the objectives under 10.1.1.”

10.1.1 clearly states:

“Government economic development programs in the settlement area shall take into account the following objectives: (a) that the traditional Gwich’in economy

should be maintained and strengthened; and (b) that the Gwich’in should be economically self-sufficient.”

Mr. Speaker, under another section dealing with forestry, under the forestry management section, those agreements, again, under section 13.1.10:

“Government may consult the Board on any matter which affects forestry and forestry management and shall seek the timely advice of the Board on the following matters: (a) draft legislation respecting forestry and forestry management including the fighting and control of forest fires; (b) land use policies or draft legislation….

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

Mr.

Speaker, going on to the

subsurface section of the agreement again, section 21.1.6:

“The Government of the Northwest Territories shall involve the Gwich’in in the development and implementation of any Northern Accord on oil and gas development in the Northwest Territories which is negotiated pursuant to the enabling agreement, dated September 5, 1988, between Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories.”

Mr. Speaker, 21.1.7:

“Government agrees to consult the Gwichi’in Tribal Council in relation to any proposed legislation which affects only the Northwest Territories or only Yukon and the Northwest Territories and which (a) regulates the exploration, development or production of subsurface resources in the settlement area; or (b) establishes requirements for subsurface rights issuance in relation to subsurface resources in the settlement area.

Mr. Speaker, the point I’m trying to make here is that as government, as individuals, the process of consultation is fundamental to whatever we do regardless of if it’s in the Legislative Assembly or through land claim agreements.

With that, I will be asking the Premier some questions in regard to consultation, especially in regard to the process of land claim agreements.

Today I’d like to talk about the awesome brain.

I know this House is all for healthy families and vibrant communities. I’ve recently learned about brain development in the young child. I realize there are implications and opportunities for enhancing the

efficiency and effectiveness of many of our government programs.

I would like to share some of the researchers’ new insights on the brain. At birth there are over 100 billion brain cells, or building blocks, that make up our brain. They are especially designed for communicating among themselves across the spaces between them. Communication between brain cells occurs through electrochemical signals. When these connections are made, they shape our thoughts, our feelings, our capacity to think and learn.

Of all the incredible numbers of pathways or connections that can be established, only those that are used during our first two years actually become hard-wired and established for life. By age three a child’s brain has formed 1,000 trillion connections. From birth to 18 months the brain forms connections that have to do with emotional attachments. From birth to four years the connections deal with visual development, colours, shapes and distances. From one to five years connections are made to learn music and math and, from birth to ten years, capacity for language development.

Our programs need to help families enhance the development of these connections in the wee child in the best ways possible. Under the right conditions and day-to-day experiences, what the baby sees, hears, touches, tastes, smells and feels actually shape the brain, form connections and cause the brain to grow larger and more active.

The very best way to develop a child’s brain is to nurture and love your children and expose them to a variety of new experiences. An environment lacking love and experiences starves the brain. The neurons don't connect. It’s love that grows brains.

One final note, Mr. Speaker. Beginning about age ten, the brain starts pruning, or getting rid of, cells and connections that are seldom or never used. The hard-wired pathways that are often used, however, are kept and become stronger and more efficient. This knowledge can help guide our efforts to reduce and reinvest wisely. For example, from birth to age ten, it is easiest to learn languages. This has implications.

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

As a government we need to work with young families to increase the awareness of when and how these brain connections are made. Let’s use this knowledge to guide our support of early childhood development programs, language nests, and parenting and family support.

Let us, as leaders in this government, have the vision to increase awareness and provide the programs to ensure that our children’s brains grow to their full potential. They are our future. Thank you. Mahsi.

Mr.

Speaker, the G.N.W.T. is

currently faced with reducing spending by $135 million over the next two years. Through this process, we need to be cautious. We need to ensure that reductions don't adversely affect the public or staff. At the very least we need to minimize these impacts as much as possible. We need to spend wisely and maximize the benefit of the dollars we spend.

So where do we look? One area we might want to consider is the bonuses that we pay. Last year this government paid $1.6 million in bonuses. The majority of these went to 16 deputy ministers and 176 senior managers.

Deputy ministers in this government make an average of $184,000 a year, while senior managers make an average of $127,000 a year. In addition, the Power Corp paid out $532,930 in bonuses last year.

I’m not suggesting that bonuses don't have value. I’m simply suggesting that we need to review them to ensure that we're getting best value per dollar.

This government may want to review its criteria for awarding bonuses. We may get better value for our dollars if bonuses were provided to all employees — not just DMs and senior managers — who identify real and effective ways to reduce spending and create efficiencies within the public service. Two point one million dollars is equivalent to around 21 public service jobs.

Let’s make sure all options are considered before jobs are cut.

Mr.

Speaker, mahsi. [English

translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, this winter in my region there were many, many deaths of my people. We lost fathers and mothers, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and it caused a great deal of pain and upset in many, many families, which affected our whole community and the region as a whole, because we’re all inter-related.

We do not always know the ways of the Heavenly Father and do not always understand why we lose loved ones, Mr. Speaker. What I would like to do today is to wish for all precious healing time and reflections upon the lives of the people that have left us this winter, and to go on with the lessons that they have shared with us and left behind.

I wish for all the people who have been affected my best wishes of courage, strength and wisdom as we move on. Mahsi cho.

Yesterday in response to a question I had asked on the realities of working at the Department of Human Resources, the Minister said they had reduced the backlog of final pays by 50 per cent. To my knowledge the backlog has been there since the department was first formed two years ago. So 50 per cent, Mr. Speaker, is nothing to be proud of.

What about grievances? How is the department dealing with grievances? I’m aware of some that are at least two and a half years outstanding. Is this an acceptable standard? Has the Minister talked to any of the front-line staff at Human Resources? I remember a former Minister of Justice who stood in this House, day in and day out, saying nothing was wrong at North Slave Correction Centre. He listened solely to his senior managers and DM. He did not listen to me or the front-line workers, who were insisting that all was not right at North Slave Correctional Centre.

Finally he agreed to an HR review at the facility, and there were many deficiencies that had to be addressed. The moral of the story, Mr. Speaker, is that — to the Ministers — you cannot just listen to your DM or your senior managers. You have to listen to your front-line workers, those in the trenches every day, and the MLAs who are across from you, bringing their issues up in this House. That’s where you’ll find out what’s really going on.

Human Resources also has to do a better job when it comes to staffing vacant positions and communicating the process. Mr. Speaker, I believe we need to look at a system like they use in Alberta, where there is the ability to check competition status online. It shows the posted closing dates and also if the position is in the screening, interview or offer stage. At least this way, it gives applicants some kind of idea where things are at. They’re not waiting five and six months to see where their job status is at.

Here in the Legislative Assembly we throw the word “accountability” around quite often, but rarely do we put it into place to ensure it happens. Mr. Speaker, I

think a system like they use in Alberta, here in the Northwest Territories, would give HR some much-needed accountability.

This is the last day of the sitting of this particular Legislature, and true to form, I want to talk about the Deh Cho Bridge.

Mr. Speaker, I want to summarize once again for people what has been provided to us in terms of information and responses to our very good and valid questions. We don’t ask these questions for fun; we ask these questions because we are the conduit for the public to become aware of the government. If we’re not going to have this debate on the floor of the House, well then, to me, really, you might just have appointed an administrator to take over running the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, in the last government two motions were brought forward by the Regular Members and cast in this House. I’d like to read them into the record again:

“Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the G.N.W.T. undertake and disclose updated economic modelling showing that the Deh Cho Bridge project anticipated so few economic impacts and benefits as it did in 2003, and further, that the Legislative Assembly strongly recommends the G.N.W.T. defer signing any further agreement concerning the Deh Cho Bridge until after the 16th Assembly is in office.”

That was one motion that was passed in this House, Mr. Speaker, and here’s the gist and the tail end of another one:

“Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommend that government not enter into a binding agreement committing it to the Deh Cho Bridge project until it has provided Regular Members with an up-to-date analysis of the expected cost of living impacts of the bridge on Yellowknife, and the Tlicho communities and the Behchoko communities, the estimated social impacts and economic benefits for the community of Fort Providence, and the exact total cost of the Deh Cho Bridge to the Government of the Northwest Territories, and giving Regular Members an opportunity to comment on the bridge should it proceed based on that information.”

For anyone to say that the Members of the previous government and this government were not interested in the details of this bridge project is absolutely not correct.

One of the first things that we questioned the government about after getting re-elected to this House — I can speak for myself — was where we were at in terms of commitments to the Deh Cho

Bridge. Again, we were not informed that the concession agreement had been signed. Then, on further questioning as to our government’s liability, we were told our liability extent was the $9 million for the loan guarantee. In fact, this government is on the hook for the $165 million that it is going to cost us to undertake this project and probably untold other expenses that will be seen as eligible costs over run.

Mr. Speaker, on the second day of session I brought up the issue of the fuel shortage in Inuvik. This is a couple of weeks later, and after some correspondence back and forth, I find today that we are no better off than we were before. As a matter of fact, we are in worse shape than we were before.

The reason I bring that up is that talking to one of the gas bars up there, I was informed that they were critically low on fuel and that they weren’t getting anymore, and that it had to be trucked in from Edmonton. At the other gas bar up there, it is trucked in from Whitehorse. And all of this while Esso has a tank down there with a certain amount of fuel in it that they figure they have the right to ration to these folks, who then have to bring fuel in up by truck. They don’t want to, but to recover some of their costs, they have to pass it down on to the consumer.

I was informed yesterday that the prices have gone up again for gas in Inuvik. They are expected to go up again.

The reason that I have brought this up again is because I got a call from a senior last night who had some grave concerns about the prices continually going up. It is tough on seniors who are living on fixed incomes and who stay in their own houses and are paying a lot of their own expenses. This is extremely difficult on them. A lot of these folks go out on the land, and this affects them. Everything is going up in Inuvik. Everything is going up.

I feel for the agent and the two gas suppliers up there, who in my opinion are being held hostage by the supplier, being Esso. They have the gas there, but they think they have the right to hold it back, and the prices are going up and it is affecting everything up there. The private industry…. The government has an obligation to protect the consumers.

I will be posing questions to the Premier at the appropriate time to see what this government can do to bridge the gap between the supplier and the consumer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to clearly state for the residents of Fort Smith that it was not my intention to portray all residents of the community of Fort Smith in a negative light. As we all know very well, it is usually the actions of a few individuals and not the community that causes this type of issue to rise to the surface. Those are the people to blame for this problem. Those who have chosen to make the lives of others miserable need to be brought to task.

Since I have made the concerns of my constituents public, I have been approached by even more people with similar concerns and stories about their experiences regarding incidents that have either occurred to them or their loved ones. Yesterday I had 15 messages from around the North on my phone from people who wanted to share their experience and talk about it.

Mr. Speaker, a real opportunity is before us. There is clearly a problem that needs to be addressed. It cannot be swept under the rug or ignored in hopes that it will go away. The issue is real, and it must be confronted. As I mentioned yesterday on CBC radio, I am working on a survey of former students relating to their experiences. I want to hear both good and bad experiences. And with that, I’ve had several offers from our community to help make sure that this survey gets off the ground.

Mr. Speaker, I commit to sharing the results of this survey with the local MLA for Thebacha, with the Minister of EC&E, with the town of Fort Smith and the council, and certainly with the management of Aurora College.

I quickly spoke to Mayor Martselos this morning, for whom I have a lot of respect, and I assured him I would make that statement today to make sure that the concerns are not about the community as a whole but needs to be focussed directly at those that are causing the problems. I agree with his concerns, and I certainly am making that statement to make sure he knows I have heard his statement.

Mr. Speaker, my goal is to work with all parties to find a collective solution to address this concern. It’s about the students and safety, and that’s all it is about.

Mr.

Speaker, when I was the

mayor of Tuktoyaktuk, and since elected to represent Nunakput, I have continued to press the government to recognize the critical need to get going on construction of the access road to Tuktoyaktuk’s Gravel Source 177.

Mr.

Speaker, this road is required for several

reasons. The extensive granular resources at source 177 are required to support municipal infrastructure to Tuktoyaktuk instead of relying on expensive transport to pour in materials on the winter roads from sources near Inuvik. The road will allow Tuktoyaktuk residents and businesses to access employment opportunities in the exploration and natural gas processing facilities planned for the region, and the access road will follow the survey route of the eventual northern extension of the Mackenzie Highway, which is a high priority of this government.

I want to congratulate the government for signing the funding agreement with Canada today on the build Canada program. I understand that with the framework now signed, we can move on to the task of identifying the projects across the N.W.T. that can finally get off the ground.

With assistance from the federal funding contribution, later today I’ll have questions for the Minister of Transportation on the prospects for the move forward on this long-awaited priority in my constituency.

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to once again talk about the importance of communities being able to hire properly trained recreation and youth staff. During my campaign, many residents spoke about the lack of things for the youth in their community to do. In general during my follow-up visits to communities, many constituents continue to actively need to have something positive for their youth to do. They talked about on-the-land programs, more sport and recreation programs, and some even said the community should have a swimming pool and a youth centre — a place the youth can call their own.

These concerns are made by all members of the community, including the RCMP, the youth, parents and especially elders of the community. On February 11, I spoke about the importance of communities being able to hire trained recreation and youth staff so the community can properly assess government programs and develop and deliver effective community-based recreation and youth programs for all community members.

However, Mr. Speaker, in my communities, this is not what is happening. Hiring properly trained recreation and youth staff continues to be a challenge because of low pay, little or no volunteer support, cultural differences, lack of government support, and even because of job demands,

Mr.

Speaker, working evening, weekends and

holidays, being overworked and underpaid.

In Fort Resolution they have a recreation coordinator and community recreation assistant position. In Lutselk’e, Mr. Speaker, they have a recreation coordinator and two positions of recreation support workers. All the positions in both communities are filled by local people, and none of these individuals are qualified as a recreation professional. I am sure they are all doing the best they can, and I commend them for taking the task.

My communities are in desperate need of support for finding solutions to the hiring of qualified recreation and youth staff. The ideal situation is to train local people for these positions. They know the community and the people, understand the culture and speak the language. One solution suggested to me by one of my constituents is to develop an apprenticeship-type approach for training recreation coordinators.

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

We are all aware of the success of the trades program. If we can do it for instrumentation, carpentry, and hairdressers, why can’t we do it for recreation coordinators? Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of MACA on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I use my Member’s statement today to acknowledge our emergency service personnel, particularly firefighters, both career and volunteer members. As is the case for many of the people who work silently behind the scenes on our behalf, we don’t recognize them nearly enough.

Emergency service personnel stand by for us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ready and willing to do dangerous work if called upon. These men and women train and prepare to be ready for action at a moment’s notice. They have specialized skills and knowledge that enable them to do an outstanding job, often in difficult weather and treacherous conditions. They put life and limb at risk to keep us safe, and they keep our homes and businesses safe. At times, all they can do is control a situation, and homes and businesses are lost. And unfortunately, because it is potentially dangerous work, firefighters sometimes get injured, occasionally fatally.

Just three years ago next month, the city of Yellowknife lost two firefighters as they fought a fire in the line of duty. They gave their lives for our community as they performed a job they both loved.

Because we won’t be in session next month, today I want to specifically remember and honour Cyril Fyfe and Kevin Olson, two exemplary firefighters who were both fatally injured March 17, 2005.

In their memory I recognize and honour all N.W.T. emergency service personnel as they go about their jobs today and every day. To each and every one, I say thank you for protecting us; thank you for taking risks for us.

To my colleagues I say, as you return to your communities over the next few days, take the time to search out and visit with your local firefighters and thank them personally.

And on March 17, stop and take a moment to think of those we have lost. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Applause.

Mr. Speaker, when we stand in this House and raise issues and talk, what we say and how we say it has a tremendous impact not only in this House but outside of this House, in the communities, where many, many people watch avidly what happens in this House. It has a great impact.

Earlier in the week the comments in the statement by the Member from Yellowknife Centre reverberated through the community of Fort Smith and caused a tremendous furor that I’m still feeling the effects of today.

There are constructive ways to raise issues, and then there are destructive ways to raise issues. I would have to classify the Member’s statement made earlier in the week as more destructive in nature.

I do appreciate his comments in the House today as being much more constructive and helping to put oil on some of the troubled waters. But to be sure, the people of Fort Smith were offended. They do very highly treasure and value the college and the students who come to the community.

The college is celebrating its 39th anniversary this

year. In those 39 years there has been a presence in Fort Smith. At the start of this college, it used to be called Adult Vocational Training. Thousands of students have gone through there.

On this side of the House, I look around. There are graduates in this House that have gone to the college, myself included, when I was doing my apprenticeship training.

Mr. Speaker, this is an issue of great importance to my community that I want to raise in this House. As I said earlier in the week, I have to be able to speak for the people that I represent. I have to be able to speak for the people of the college.

And while we want to raise issues, we have to keep in mind we have to get all the facts and we have to get all the details. We have to look at all the numbers, including all the people who have gone through the college.

Harkening back to my younger days, I know that if you go to a strange community, and if you go out and engage in extracurricular activities…. It doesn’t matter if it’s Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik, Yellowknife. If you engage in extracurricular activities and alcohol is involved and you’re looking the wrong way at the wrong person, or asking the wrong person to dance….

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you,

Mr. Speaker.

If you ask the wrong person to dance, there’s a chance that things may happen that you didn’t anticipate. That’s an unfortunate reality in every community. I don’t think it’s specific to Fort Smith. There’s a shared responsibility here.

Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude my statement by once again thanking the Member for clarifying his comments; encouraging him to accept the invitation to come to the community; and pointing out that the college is a very high-class operation that has lots of good people working there, and it is very, very important to all the people of Fort Smith.

Applause.

I’m pleased to recognize Tyler Heal, who is a third-generation Yellowknife resident and a resident of Yellowknife South.

Tyler was awarded the 2007 Heritage Award from the Yellowknife Heritage Society in recognition of his contribution to the preservation of the history and heritage of Yellowknife.

His book The Times Behind the Signs was recently launched, giving details and stories behind

Yellowknife’s street names. All of the proceeds from the sale of this book are being donated to the N.W.T. Mining Heritage Society.

Please join me in congratulating this talented and intelligent young man on receiving his award, and recognizing his commitment and contribution to Yellowknife.

Applause.

Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery, Mr. Krutko.

Mr.

Speaker, it gives me great

pleasure to recognize my Constituency Assistant, Liz Wright, who is here in the gallery today. Liz is in town this week, working out of my office here in Yellowknife. Welcome to the gallery.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the two pages from Fort Simpson who worked diligently and hard this week: Ms. Natalie Villeneuve and Ms. Marisa Isaiah. Thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Arthur Beck, a chaperone. I would also like recognize the two pages from Fort Resolution, Tu Nedhe: Kelley Lizotte and Peter Beaulieu. Arthur Beck is also the Vice President of the NWT Métis Council.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two pages from the riding of Frame Lake: In front of me, Stuart Hamre and then, behind me, Jeanne Yurris. They’ve done a great job. Thank you.

Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Speaker, in following up the question that I was asking, I’m quoting from unedited Hansard:

“The lending agent itself went and got a review. They’re the ones at risk for $165 million if, in fact, they want to lend this money to this project and to make sure it’s a valid project.”

Mr. Speaker, my question for the Premier today is: is it not true that in the event of a default on the loan that he’s referring to, the G.N.W.T. shall step in and receive the project company’s rights benefits to the debt and loan documents, and assume and be bound by all current, future and overdue liabilities and obligations of this project?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is quoting the worst-case scenario, if the project were to fail. As we’ve laid out, the traffic counts and volumes, our commitment to the project…. As was stated in this House, we recognize, as the G.N.W.T., that we are backstopping this project. So yes, through the process, through the whole arrangement, it’s been known that we will end up backing this project if it was a worst-case scenario.

But I did point out, as she was reading from Hansard, responding to a part of a question, the fact is that the lending agent who is lending the money to the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation has made sure that they’re covering all their bases, as well, to ensure that it’s a worthy project to invest in.

Mr. Speaker, now that we have established that, in fact, the G.N.W.T. is bearing some of the risks — if something goes wrong, all of the risk — for this project, I’d like to ask the Premier — and he’s the Finance Minister, so he should know this — how is this liability being reflected in the records of the G.N.W.T.? Because as everyone knows, we have a legislated debt limit of $500 million.

The bridge corporation process is being treated the same way we deal with capital leases and is recognized as well — as Members would know who are familiar with the Financial Administration Act — under that area. So we account for it in that area, but like many of our leases throughout many communities in the Northwest Territories, they don’t show up on our guaranteed debt position.

I can’t ask a hypothetical question, but I would like to project the scenario if something should go wrong and the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation cannot meet the obligations of

this debt. Right now, we currently have, I believe, around $300 million of debt, and another $165 million would put us right at our limit. I want people to be fully aware of that.

Mr. Speaker, as we speak today, I’d like to ask the Premier: today is February 21st . What is being

signed on behalf of our government today and by whom?

Mr.

Speaker, all the

documents that are required to bring this deal to a closure. There are a number of schedules. I don’t have a list handy with me right now, but those will bring this whole process to closure, and the banks will be satisfied. The Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, ourselves, all parties would be signing the appropriate documents. It could be at the close of the day, if we can get them all together, or tomorrow.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier did not identify who is signing these documents on behalf of the G.N.W.T., and he doesn’t seem too familiar with what they are, anyway.

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, in case I don’t get a chance to ask any more questions, I want to let the record show that today, February 21, 2008, I sat in this Chamber and said that this process has not done justice to due diligence and to the people of the Northwest Territories. It has put them at undue risk.

My question for the Premier here today is: will he endeavour to find out…? We’re going to leave here now, but I want to know if the folks who establish the credit rating of this government have been made aware of this particular agreement, and how that has affected, or will affect, our credit rating as the G.N.W.T.

Mr. Speaker, in fact, as we

have our credit rating established through Moody’s and we looked at this borrowing situation, we have been in contact with them. They’re aware of the situation, they have reviewed it, and they feel we’re in a healthy situation and this is something that is affordable if things were to go wrong. The fact is we’re planning things will move along, and we’ll show that this was a good investment for the future of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the

Premier and also to the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. In regard to my Member’s statement on consultation, I read out different

sections of the agreement. It’s very clear the government has an obligation to consult on specific matters, especially on economic measures, the subsurface rights section and also deal with forestry and other elements.

But again, the idea of consultation is not simply sending off a letter, and then if you don’t get a response in two weeks, that’s consultation. I think because of the issue of consultation, it’s critical that consultation basically works for both parties — that you have the time for it and people have the right to consult.

I’d like to ask the Premier, as a government, have we looked at our policies and procedures and ensured they fall in line with exactly what’s spelled out in the land claim agreements for consultation?

Yes. Through Aboriginal

Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations we have begun the process. In fact, a document was tabled and made public on the consultation process. We’ve reviewed and put it out there to see if we can get some comment back from aboriginal organizations to meet the request for consultation.

As a department, we are, as well, getting a guide together for our employees and departments, so that when we discuss issues that may have an impact on Crown lands that affect aboriginal rights and treaties, it kicks into place a formal consultation process that we’re putting in place.

Mr. Speaker, the reason I was asked

to raise this question is because there are things happening within this government by way of policy changes and program changes. But they are not going to the First Nations organizations who have land claims, who have specific rights with regard to modern-day treaties. The right to consult is also spelled out in a lot of court cases.

Mr. Speaker, there have been changes by way of policy changes, such as contracts in regard to time limits, which have basically been shortened. Again, that change, under the land-claim agreement — an obligation to consult is there.

I’d like to ask the Premier: as a government, are we ensuring that we are fulfilling that obligation and not simply sending out a letter and if we don’t get a response that’s basically consultation? As far as the legislation reads, that is not consultation.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated, we have a package together that we are going to use with departments to highlight when consultation is necessary and needs to be done, what steps would be required, and what is considered actual consultation. As well, we have to use the court cases that have been settled out there and have an impact, because that affects the way governments would consult with each other.

There also needs to be the recognition that consultation isn’t a one-way street. It requires both parties to come together. When it’s a specific initiative, when contact is made, there’s follow-up contact that continues to try to be had, but at some point decisions do need to be made. There’s a recognition in this process we’re developing of the requirement that the consultation needs to be created as a two-way street.

In regard to the aboriginal

organizations, I know we had a process in regard to the Aboriginal Summit, which no longer exists. There are some major issues happening in the Northwest Territories.

We could touch on the Deh Cho Bridge, but I think we’re talking about the Tetlit’Zheh expansion; we’re talking about other big projects in the Northwest Territories. The pipeline decisions still have to come down.

I’d like to ask the Premier what exactly we are doing as a government differently from what we did with the Aboriginal Summit. Is there going to be such a forum, or a committee or a makeup of regional leaders in the Territories, to sit down with the Premier and also the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs to talk about issues that this government is doing so we can involve them in government-to-government relationships between our three levels of government in the Northwest Territories?

In fact, we have started a process between myself and aboriginal leaderships, as well as including the Deputy Premier. We’ve started a process. For example, shortly after the election in November, we were meeting with the regional aboriginal leadership. We’ve set up a process. We’re going to meet quarterly and discuss issues of concern between all parties.

In fact, I will be meeting with a number of the leaders. We’ve offered a meeting up actually next week. We’ll be following up with that meeting with those that can attend.

Final short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

As a government we’re still doing work in regard to the devolution process — the Northern Accord, as it was better known in the past.

I’d like to ask the Premier: under the land-claim agreements it’s clear, I stated, that the government shall involve these aboriginal groups in those processes. I’d like to ask the Premier exactly how you are going to include those groups who have land-claim obligations for this government to involve them through the process of consulting or devolution.

The work that was done previously has incorporated a group. It was originally through the Aboriginal Summit, where a joint proposal was put forward to Canada on a devolution resource revenue sharing agreement. Since that day things have changed. The Aboriginal Summit is no longer in place.

I would use this avenue as an avenue to address what may be done if there’s a joint initiative we can establish to move forward and work with them on that basis. As well, from that basis, if there’s further direction on initiatives and work, or further information we need to get, we’re back to that process of dealing with the regional leadership, at our level, and sharing the information on different initiatives we’re trying to bring to a conclusion.

Mr. Speaker, it’s no surprise to this Assembly and certainly not to the Transportation Minister that I’ve been in support of the extension of the Yellowknife runway. I feel it will open up a new tourism corridor, whether it’s for tourism or even business through flights over the top as they bring flights from Asia to North America.

I believe that expanding the runway in Yellowknife to accept larger planes will help not just Yellowknife. I think it will bring an economic boom throughout the Northwest Territories.

Mr.

Speaker, as I understand it, there’s new

information coming out that the Ministry of Transportation is well aware of. There’s a master plan that’s being looked at for the Yellowknife Airport.

My question to the Minister of Transportation is: when can we expect this master plan to be completed and ready for public consumption?

The Member is correct in terms of a study being conducted. The study is being conducted by ITI and [inaudible]. We’re in phase 2 of the study. I’ll be happy to share that with colleagues and Members once the study is released.

I also want to assure the Member that as Minister of Transportation, I’m looking at investment in all areas and locations across the Northwest Territories to ensure that safety and efficiency is our number one priority in our transportation system.

I’d like to know if the Minister of Transportation has been working with the Minister of ITI — the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Investment — to discuss and further find out more information as to the economic boom that would be provided to the Northwest Territories.

Is the study looking at those types of considerations? Is his department working with ITI to make sure this relevant information is being brought forward to make the business case to expand the Yellowknife Airport?

The Department of Transportation is working very closely with the Department of ITI, under the direction and leadership of Minister Bob McLeod, in putting this study together in terms of the Yellowknife Airport runway extension.

We are working with other stakeholders, such as the city, air carriers, Transport Canada in terms of seeing the benefits. And of course, I would be happy to sit down with Members once we have this study before us and have some discussion.

The Member may well be aware that I've tabled a document on runway licence studies. Certainly, there are comments in there about the 23rd-busiest airport in Canada, which is the Yellowknife territorial airport.

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Transportation knows, runways are an extremely vital piece of infrastructure to any area, region or territory.

I'd like to know what the Minister is doing to pursue funding for this potential project. And if I may underscore, I think we just received a promissory note of $245.8 million. I'd like to hear what he’s doing to make sure the Yellowknife Airport runway extension is being considered in that potential pot of money.

Mr.

Speaker, I look

forward to discussing with all Members of the standing committee, with my colleagues, once we have an idea as to types of priorities, where we want to invest in the Northwest Territories.

Certainly, the report from the runway-length study has identified some priorities there. I look forward to discussion with my honourable colleagues, and with the standing committee in terms of where we will have the best returns on investment, as a government, within this term.

We will work with the Member, and again, I will share that information once I have the final document.

Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

I again reaffirm my belief that this will open up international tourism as well as international business.

One thing the Minister neglected to mention was: when can I expect this study to be open for public consumption? When does the Minister expect that

this study will be made available for everyone to take a good look at?

Mr. Speaker, I want to let the Member know it will be available within a couple of months. I will communicate more with my colleague Minister Bob McLeod. I will get back to the Member in terms of the exact decision regarding the date.

Mr.

Speaker, during the earliest

years of brain development, the potential for learning can be most fully established. I'd like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment: how does our current allocation of resources reflect the huge opportunity we have to be effective by focussing strongly on the very young?

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, our government does realize that learning starts at a young age.

Our department — and also the Government of the Northwest Territories — does consider funding various levels, such as early childhood programs, early childhood contributions and policies, and children’s initiatives. These are just some of the areas I’m highlighting. It is in the works. We've been funding for a number of years. There are also federal funding initiatives.

Those are the areas we will continue to fund, because we as a government feel it is important to start at an early age.

I’ll just highlight some of the federal initiatives that have been undertaken and will continue: Early Childhood Development, early learning and child trust fund, child care space initiatives — we support the NWT Literacy Council, as well — and also program enhancement grants, language programs. So we do have various federal initiatives and also the G.N.W.T., with our ECE department. We do deliver various programs to promote that. Mahsi.

I know a big focus and a big interest of this government — and of myself, personally — is cultural and language diversity. Languages, of course, hold the cultures and hold different ways of knowing. We know now that language development takes place especially early in life. That’s when we get hard-wired for it, and we have the ability thereafter to speak it. But we need to have a lot of exposure early in life.

What programs do we have that actually get our most proficient language speakers together with our very young? Are we supporting our elders and those who can speak these languages most proficiently? Are we supporting them getting

together with very young children, even if they’re just speaking in their presence, not necessarily teaching them? Apparently that will do the job. What programs do we have to support that?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Member’s question in this specific area. It has always been my interest when I was a Regular MLA. We do continue to offer support in these areas. We support training programs through Aurora College and with our respective partnership from the Southern Institute, as well, deliver the ALTA program — aboriginal instructor’ program — and also the CTIP program, TIP program.

Mr. Speaker, we also work with the communities. The elders are the most valuable tool in our communities as well. So we utilize their services in the communities, because they’re the ones who give us wisdom and knowledge to pass on to our younger generation. We use them in our schools, in our communities, during activities, functions, with respect to education activities. We will continue to provide those services at the schools and at the community level. That’s the areas we focus on. Mahsi.

I appreciate the comments of the Minister. Most of the programs he mentioned, perhaps almost all, were focused on children in school. Really, what we’re learning is that so much of this potential takes place before children are school-aged. So I’m particularly interested in getting elders together with the very young.

In my time in communities, I see a lot of elders looking for something to do, in a way, especially when they are unable to be as physically active as they may have been before. This seems like a huge opportunity.

What programs are we pursuing, or will the Minister commit to, that will get those proficient language speakers and culture holders together with the very young?

Mr.

Speaker, we do

provide programs such as Head Start, a pre-school aboriginal language and cultural perspective, and also we’re promoting more aboriginal languages at school, whether it be K-12 or continuing on. We do have aboriginal instructors in classrooms as well. We do also utilize elders, as I indicated earlier, and we had an aboriginal instructors’ forum last month, I do believe, to try to get their input into how we can produce even more children to speak their language.

So we are getting input from the groups and also from the community leaders and also from the elders on how we can improve our programs and also the support we deliver in our communities. We will continue to seek out all the information, input and advice that we possibly can to improve our

programs. With that, we are doing what we can under the department. Mahsi.

Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

The other point that I know is of concern is that our early childhood workers often don’t meet the educational standards, particularly the federal standards they are coming out with. The Aurora College programs are currently not producing qualified child care workers. I would like to hear what the Minister is doing on this and any reinvestment-type opportunities he sees with respect to any of these questions I have asked.

Mr.

Speaker, we do

provide funding to our childhood development certification program at Aurora College. We will continue to do that. We are producing results. We are producing certified teachers, I guess we can call them. We’ll focus on that as well, and where we can improve our program, we are certainly open to that. Certainly we will take those into consideration, and we will continue to support in these areas. Mahsi.

I would like to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs some questions about the RFP for bundled implementation for the five-community water treatment plants. I know that the Minister advised us yesterday that all is in order, but I am concerned about the process that has taken place. The Minister stated in the House yesterday that “this contract for procurement is still in process. I am very reluctant to speak to something that has ongoing negotiations.”

Once an RFP is completed, the evaluation has been done and the winner declared, is it standard practice to enter into negotiation with the winning proponent?

That is correct. In the case of an RFP, if the RFP process allows for further discussion and negotiation to the highest-rated company, that can be done.

That seems a little unusual. Why would one bother to put a request for proposal together and get numbers and figures and so on if it is only going to be negotiated once the proposal has been done? It seems strange to me, as well, that if negotiations are taking place with the winning proponent, the losing proponent doesn’t have the opportunity to negotiate terms and conditions. If the Minister could elaborate, please.

Mr. Speaker, it is not at all unusual for a company to have further discussions

with our government if there is an area that needs clarification or further discussion.

Clarification — yes, I understand that. Thank you, Mr. Minister. However, there are a number of things about this process that don’t smell right to me. The selected proponent was pitching this project to the five communities at least a year and a half ago, and the selected proponent helped MACA set up the proposal call document for the RFP. Is this standard procedure for a request for procedure process?

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I have to correct the Member: we were the ones pitching the concept of bundling the project. We had serious problems attracting people to bid on these projects when they were put out on individual tenders. The costs that did come in on some of these other projects that are a concern to us were very high. We went to the communities. We sought out a company to give us a feasibility study on this concept, and we presented it to cabinet and decided to go on an open call for, first of all, a request for qualifications. We had five companies respond. We went to the next step and put out a request for proposals. There is nothing unusual about that.

It can cost the bidder for a project of this size up to $400,000 to develop a good proposal, with no guarantee of success. The process used in this case suggests to me that it was the intent of MACA to give the project to the winning proponent from the start. If that was the department’s intent, why do an RFP at all? Why not just sole-source the project in the first place, and save the other proponent the cost of developing the proposal?

There seems to be some assumption that we went into this with a decision that was already made about whom we would select. Of course, this is not at all correct. We haven’t awarded the contract; there is still more discussion ongoing. The process was fair. We had a committee, an independent evaluation ongoing. We’ve had advice from Justice, and I don’t know what more we could add to that. The company that has been informed that they weren’t ranked the highest has been given some time, and they will get a debriefing.

As for the cost, I would really beg to differ that it cost $400,000. However, there is, in the request for proposal, an allowance made for a company to get some reimbursement.

Mr. Speaker, in a couple of weeks the trapping season is going to start up in Inuvik, and that’s when all the trappers go out and do their muskrat trapping. It’s been a way of life for many years. But this year we might be running into some problems if we don’t get our gas issue taken care of and dealt with.

I’d like to direct my questions today to the Premier. I’d like to ask him what the government is doing to help mediate the fuel shortage in Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, we have in fact been working. The Public Works and Services Petroleum Products Division has been in contact with community members as well, and Imperial Oil — their representatives, the agent — to try to come up with some information so we know where we’re starting from; and then as well making contact to get further information as to what the plans are for ensuring the community has a sufficient amount of gas and fuel for the winter season.

Mr. Speaker, I’d also like to ask the Premier. He did mention that we were in contact. But I’d like to ask him if we’ve had regular communication with NTCL, who was supposed to deliver the fuel, and Esso, who was supposed to load the fuel into the barge. Have we had contact with them as to what went wrong, and why it went wrong, and if there’s anything that…? Have they taken responsibility?

Mr. Speaker, the work that we have been doing is ensuring that there’s fuel available in the community, working with Imperial on that side. We are aware of some of the comments or the issues between NTCL and Imperial. We’ve tried to gather information on that side.

When it comes right down to it, we have a limited role that we can play. But we are concerned and we are sharing that concern that it doesn’t matter to us, as representatives, if it was a community we served or the private sector: their arrangements to get fuel or supplies to a community are their business. But they should ensure that it gets there, and if they’ve made a mistake or an error, that cross shouldn’t be passed on to the individuals.

We’re still working on the fact that they need to supply the community, and it shouldn’t be based on rationing anything.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Premier. We’ve already heard that the cost is being passed on to the consumers, which is unfortunate. But as a government, would we be able to truck gas

in to ensure gas stations at least have their supply of gas to serve the community?

Mr.

Speaker, if the

companies or the delivery agent — or not the delivery agent, because the delivery agent is for Imperial, but the companies — that pump out gas in that community would make a request, we would consider that. We know in fact when there was talk of potential shortage, through the Petroleum Products Division, an offer for 400,000 litres was made. We were informed it wasn’t required.

Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Premier. He said that we were informed that that $400,000 wasn’t required. Who actually informed us them that the fuel was not required?

Mr. Speaker, a correction: it was 400,000 litres of fuel.

When it first came up, our communication between the Petroleum Products Division and Imperial was to see if, in fact, there was a shortfall that needed to be addressed. We had some volume that we felt we could allow them to use and reimburse us later. We were informed at that point that that was not necessary. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Transportation.

I don’t know how it’s going to relate, but it was certainly good news to finally sign off on the Building Canada Fund this afternoon. Some of my questions, of course, like with many of my colleagues, are on exactly how it’s going to roll out and how it’s going to play out. More specifically, say there is a project like chip sealing the remainder of Highway No. 1 and Highway No. 7. How would that fit in the scheduling and planning of allocating those funds?

Mr. Speaker, we have a lead Minister that’s dealing with the Building Canada Fund on the infrastructure side, that being Minister McLeod, so I’d ask that that be redirected to Minister Michael McLeod. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we have a two-phase process that’s identified for the initiatives under the Building Canada plan. The first phase was signed off today, and that includes the amount of money we’d be receiving through this fund and also a commitment for ongoing investment in the gas tax program. The next step will be to sign off on the financial agreement, and we expect that to start taking place. We have identified the areas that the

investments will be required in, and those are the areas of transportation and municipal governments or communities.

On the municipal side we’ve started the discussion with the NWT Association of Communities to see how we can flow the dollars to the communities. It hasn’t been decided whether it will be by project or on a formula. We have to also consult with the federal government on whether these processes will be allowable.

From the transportation side the Department of Transportation will be packaging up a comprehensive list of what projects may be eligible, and that will include everything that’s in the capital plan, everything that has been brought forward as part of the strategies, Corridors for Canada, and other projects that have been identified through our own strategic plan with the 16th Assembly. That will

be brought forward and shared with the Members so that we can have discussion on it. Thank you.

Mr.

Speaker, that’s certainly

something that our communities will be very anxious to get to work on and help government with their priorities.

Just with respect to some of the commitments that were in Corridors for Canada, I believe the Deh Cho Connection was listed in there. In having that on the long-term priorities, it sounds like they have to redo another set of priorities working with the federal government. Can the Minister detail how that’s going to play out? Is it a 15-year capital plan, or is it an annual capital plan? Thank you.

Mr.

Speaker, in the

discussions that we had earlier on with committees, it started out that there was some desire to see a long-term investment plan put together that would cover all the seven years. That’s something that’s up for consideration. However, as the Member knows, that would have to be approved on an annual basis. We’re trying to put enough information together so that we can have a good discussion on it and identify the different areas that need investments. I should also point out that there was a motion passed in this House for a couple of projects to be considered.

This whole agreement is based on investment from the federal government. It also requires investment from the Territorial government of 25 per cent. With any projects that are not on the capital plan or are coming from communities or are in one of the strategies, we’d have to have enough comfort that we can identify the 25 per cent. So those things will have to be considered and allowed for. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, of course exciting news with this announcement. Just in terms of the general public, when can we see some impacts, whether it’s municipal or transportation projects

being delivered, as a result of this announcement and expenditure? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I think we’re starting to see some of that already. Today the federal government announced that they’d like to move forward with the Kakisa Bridge, something that’s in our interim appropriation, so we’re quite excited about that. I’m already getting the sense that we’re campaigning for projects in the different ridings.

Mr. Speaker, we fully expect to have and be able to have some discussion with my cabinet colleagues and also the Regular Members. Sometime in mid-March for sure, if we’re going to do anything this year, we’ll have to have them approve it in the main. That will be sometime in the third week of March. So we’ll really need to get going on these initiatives and start putting things together. Thank you.

Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was just trying to grasp the sense, as well, of how this is going to play out with our recent announcements of cutbacks, and now we’re looking at some reinvestment. Would this be classified as a reinvestment?

Mr. Speaker, of course, our capital investment is based on some of our surplus and our ability to borrow. This actually helps us in a way, that any projects that are on our capital list or on our needs are now being invested in from our side with 25-cent dollars. So it will help us. It should free up some dollars for reallocation and maybe loosen up the tight squeeze we’re in. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, this is a question for the Minister of Transportation. Is the construction of the Mackenzie Highway through the Mackenzie Valley and right to the Beaufort Sea a priority of this Minister and the government?

Mr. Speaker, the

Premier’s special statement highlighted the Mackenzie Valley Highway right up to the Arctic coast. It’s been the priority of this department, it’s been the priority of this government for a long time, and I think it’s been a priority of the people of Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, what is the role of the federal government with respect to the construction of new roads in the N.W.T? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, since the 1980s the Territorial government has assumed

responsibility for the highways. It’s always been our point and the point of this government that the responsibility for new highway infrastructure is the federal government’s responsibility, and this government is working very closely with the federal government in terms of seeking out new infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. I’m going to continue to lead that with the federal government. However, we are working on possible partnerships in terms of infrastructure that would benefit all people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, given that the road to the Arctic coast is a priority of this government, the federal government has the responsibility for new roads in the N.W.T. Now we have access to federal infrastructure funds for N.W.T. transportation and municipal projects. Can the Minister please commit to looking at work that we could include under the agreement to initiate the priority of a section of my access road into source 177? Thank you.

Mr.

Speaker, I look

forward to working with the members of the standing committee and honourable colleagues on this side, Members of the House, working with stakeholders and businesses, people in all areas of the Northwest Territories so that we have access, opportunities to talk about funding and working in partnership. I commit that this department will do its best in terms of working with all stakeholders in ensuring that funding, if possible, can be available through the type of agreements that we have. Minister Michael McLeod signed this afternoon with the federal government in terms of ensuring that investment down the Mackenzie Valley is well spent by this government.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member’s statement, we are currently faced with $135 million in budget reductions over the next two years. My question is to the Premier. I believe the departments have been tasked by cabinet to identify areas for reduction. What criteria were provided to the departments to assist them in identifying areas for reduction? Thank you.

Mr.

Speaker, we went

through an exercise of allocation and, as well, giving guidelines as to what could be considered for savings or for reallocation or reinvestment. Some of the criteria of our programs — mandatory delivery programs, or what we’re legislated to do — is something that would have to be reviewed by every department. For the other areas, for example, we sat down in the 16th Assembly and came up with

our vision, goals and priorities. Along with that, we’ve turned those into the strategic investment initiatives and highlighted a number of areas for

reinvestment. The departments were informed that they were to look at other areas that were outside of the reinvestment as a potential area as well. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, how do these criteria affect the critical positions in this government such as those of nurses? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the departments are well aware of the challenges in delivering the services to our communities large and small. They are having a difficult time meeting the demands. As the Member has highlighted, the nursing side has always been a challenge in our communities. So the departments, as they’ve come through that scenario, again were mandated to deliver programs at levels in communities that still have to be met through this exercise. As we go through this exercise, Health has its overall target to meet, but it also has to look at the delivery it is mandated to deliver for people in the North. Thank you.