Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The high-tech world we live in today is wireless Internet service, high speed analog and digital communications. Mr. Speaker, today a lot of these services aren’t provided in all communities in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s essential that we develop the electronic grid throughout the Northwest Territories’ 33 communities. As we’ve heard in this House, there are seven communities in the Northwest Territories with cell phone service. Mr. Speaker, that leaves some 24 communities without these types of services and I think it’s important to

realize, Mr. Speaker, the key to our success is bringing the Northwest Territories into the 21st Century. More importantly, bring the 24 communities along with you.

I think it’s important, Mr. Speaker, that we, as government, cannot realize that it’s essential that we build infrastructure in the Northwest Territories for all of our communities so that we can have a wireless system that we can provide medical services in all our health clinics in the Northwest Territories regardless if they’re health centres so that when we have an incident in Sachs Harbour or Colville Lake or Tsiigehtchic, that we have systems in place regardless if it’s telehealth or whatnot available that’s workable, its systems are worked in. More importantly, improving the education system in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, we have an education system in the Northwest Territories which does not provide all essential and critical services to our communities by way of giving the educational programs in regards to having them identify the different courses. But because of the structures that we have, a lot our communities do provide science, biology, chemistry and mathematics in all our communities and which a lot of our students that are in the high schools have to do it on line. Again, it’s essential that we have that high speed system in place to link all our high schools in the Northwest Territories in the 33 communities into a system that provides us with that technology.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important as a government that we invest in this technology regardless if it’s through partnerships, the private sector, aboriginal development corporations or the federal government. I think it’s important that the system that we use is just as important to our highway system in regard to our transportation systems, but technology is key to the success of…

Mr. Krutko, your time for Member’s statement is expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it’s essential as government that we do formulate these partnerships and, more importantly, we work for the benefit of 33 communities in the Northwest Territories. So at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs questions on this matter. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the northern regulatory process. In 2007-08, the federal government contracted Neil McCrank to prepare a report called The Road to Improvement. It was a report about where he recommended several changes that should be made to our northern regulatory process. Of course, this was just the last of many reports that have been made of these issues about our burdensome and convoluted northern regulatory process.

Mr. Speaker, it needs to be coined up and, in my opinion, it needs to be simplified and timely. A regulatory process is key to attracting long-term resource development that will help our economy.

Mr. Speaker, in March 2009, the GNWT identified various recommendations and perspectives on the regulatory issue in its own report. However, all that we know about the GNWT’s authority is the fact that we don’t have any. Sadly, the authority falls in the federal hands.

Mr. Speaker, often it has been described as the federal government is our absentee landlord that continues to show about the flirting and fading interest in the development of the Northwest Territories autonomy. Mr. Speaker, they only show interest when it is in their interest. Mr. Speaker, the advantage of a recession is it gives people time to catch up on the things they never get a chance to focus at have time to do. Mr. Speaker, I think now is a time to address these changes in a regulatory process. There is clearly little resource development going on, because it is reflective of the northern and, certainly, world economy. Mr. Speaker, changes need to happen before the regulatory system gets busy again with new applications.

Mr. Speaker, while the engines of industry are idling, we should be working with them to come up with a good process that works for them and recognizes environmental stewardship for the future. Mr. Speaker, may I remind everyone that the GNWT’s report calls for a review of legislation on various levels from aboriginal land claims to self-government, including government policies. Mr. Speaker, it is a convoluted one itself, but we could be doing these things.

It has been eight months since the GNWT report was last released and no one knows what has been done. Mr. Speaker, I will have a discussion on issues with the Minister responsible to find out what he has done to engage aboriginal groups, our federal counterparts. Where have the recommendations gone? Mr. Speaker, by streamlining the process, we won’t take away from our environmental responsibilities, but we will create certainty in an environment where we need

resource development to help our economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we need to ask the question are we, the government, failing our students or helping our students. You choose. Mr. Speaker, I ask this question because it puzzles me to hear so many stories of how our students just do not get the education here in the Northwest Territories that is of the same quality as education in the South. I will admit that what I hear is all about one individual student or another, but over the six years I have heard so many personal stories from the leadership in the Sahtu about the failures of our young people, that I have to wonder, is this government’s education system failing or still maturing as we have only taken over the responsibility of education since 1969. That is 40 years ago, Mr. Speaker.

Right now, there is a young man who graduated from high school in the Sahtu who faces two years of upgrading to bring his education level up to Alberta Grade 12. Mr. Speaker, this young man graduated English 30, Phys. Ed. 30 and Grade 11 math and other subjects. How is it that he has an NWT high school diploma when he does not have a high school education?

Mr. Speaker, upgrading is going to cost him $32,000. The Department of Education will fund any NWT student for post-secondary education, but there is no funding to support a student attempting to upgrade to Alberta Grade 12. I guess there is a presumption that if you give someone a piece of paper called a high school diploma, they will actually have a high school education and that is the end of it. Shouldn’t the diploma mean that they achieve a Grade 12 education before we pass them and they leave high school? Mr. Speaker, how is it possible that a young person can graduate only one academic course? Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of discussion about this issue in the media lately. What is happening in the Sahtu is probably happening in other small communities.

Mr. Speaker, this problem did not happen overnight and it cannot be fixed overnight, but it needs to be out in the open in order for us to create a solution that works. There are really dedicated teachers in the Sahtu, really good people that will help us on our task to provide quality education in our small communities. Students need courses that aren’t offered in their home community. We need them to get education elsewhere. Mr. Speaker, we have some young people -- and great young people -- who are trying to work hard and get an education. We must give them the financial support they need. Their education is a good investment. We will see a

return on that investment as the young people return to the North as educators, lawyers, chiefs and doctors, even politicians, Mr. Speaker. We need to stand in front of these students…

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, we need to stand in front of our students as they work to achieve their goals. The future of our Territory depends on this. Let us clear the way for them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize some of the many people that helped work on the Water Strategy from the steering committee made up of representatives of the aboriginal governments. We have Richard Binder from Inuvialuit Regional Corporation; Joe Acorn, Deh Cho First Nations; Tim Heron, NWT Metis Nation; Joline Huskey and Eddie Erasmus, Tlicho Government; Mardy Semmler of the Gwich’in Tribal Council. From INAC, our close partners, we have Tricia Merrithew-Mercredi, regional director general; Sevn Bohnet, Tricia Melander-Forde, Michele Culhane and Bob Reid. From the Government of the Northwest Territories we have Gary Bohnet, deputy minister; Mark Warren, Jane McMullen, Joel Holder, Meghan Beveridge, Jennifer Skelton, Katarina Carthew, Judy McLinton and Ella Stinson and last, but not least, Mr. David Livingstone. Thank you all for your help and welcome to the Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Hay River South.

It is my pleasure again today to recognize in the visitor’s gallery Mr. Rocky Simpson who is here for meetings. I hope he had a very successful visit again. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome two residents of Inuvik into the gallery. One is a constituent. I am not sure where the other one lives. I believe she is a constituent too. Mr. Richard Binder and Mardy Semmler. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

I would like to recognize a constituent, Bob Reid. As well, at the same time, I would like to recognize Sevn Bohnet, a friend from here, in Yellowknife, for a long time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today is Take a Kid to Work Day. I’d like to recognize my daughter Cheyenne Lafferty who is here with us, my shadow, and her friend Alex McLean here with us as well. I’d also like to recognize, of course, Eddie Erasmus and Joline Huskey. They’re part of the Water Strategy team. Mahsi.