Do you have a final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya?

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to all these good reasons why we should have a meeting ASAP?

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to point out that in order for us to have meetings, we need both parties to engage. We had agreement already. We waited seven months. Our technical people were not able to coordinate their schedules. It’s difficult. We have to make decisions. We have to plan our budgets. We have to be able to sit down and look at the realistic challenges and see how we can overcome, before we can start planning anything. If there’s still desire from the communities we had talked to, I would be happy to meet with them.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to present a petition dealing with the matter of changes to seniors’ Health Benefits Program. The petition contains 727 signatures of NWT residents, broken down from the following communities: Fort Good Hope, 35; Inuvik, 57; Fort Resolution, 25; Fort Smith, 320. That’s a total 727 signatures. The petitioners request that the GNWT stop the implementation of the Supplementary Health Benefits Program and Catastrophic Drug Program, and that the Government of the Northwest Territories conduct public consultations with all groups in the Northwest Territories before implementing any changes to seniors’ programs.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Historical Resource Act; Bill 3, International Interest in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act; Bill 4, Public Library Act; Bill 5, Professional Corporations Act; and Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act.

The committee wishes to report that Bill 1, Bill 3, and Bill 7 are now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole and that Bill 4 and Bill 5 are now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole, as amended and reprinted.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 6, Species at Risk NWT Act, and wishes to advise that additional time is required to complete this review.

Therefore, in accordance with Rule 70(1) and (3), I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that the 120-day review period for Bill 6, Species at Risk NWT Act, be extended to the first sitting day of the spring session.

---Carried

Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, further to my Return to Written Question 2-16(3), I wish to table the following document entitled Summary of Marine Supply - Petroleum Products.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, February 6th , 2009, I’ll move

the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that this Legislative Assembly recommends that the Minister of Health and Social Services stop the implementation of the proposed Supplementary Health Benefits Program and develop a new policy and program to cover low-income families who do not have supplementary health benefits coverage through their employer;

And further, extend the September 2009 implementation date to April 2010;

And further, conduct comprehensive consultations with Northerners about the ways to improve the Supplementary Health Benefits Program and services offered by the department, including whether or not means testing should determine eligibility;

And further, ensure that full research into the program’s complete costs and full implications is undertaken and presented to Northerners including:

1. the cost to the NWT of families moving south;

and

2. increased costs on the health care system

resulting from more people accessing services within hospitals;

And furthermore, further involve the standing committees of the Legislative Assembly in the review of new policy proposals before any implementation is considered.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. I give notice that on Friday, February the 6th , 2009, I will move

the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that pursuant to subsection 61(2) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, this Assembly formally revokes the pleasure of the Assembly from the appointments of the Premier and all Members of the Executive Council effective February 9, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. MST;

And further, that this Assembly recommends that a Premier and Executive Council be chosen without delay and that the Commissioner be notified of the recommended appointments at the earliest opportunity.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 2, Settlement of International Investment Disputes Act, be read for the second time.

This bill implements the 1965 Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes Between States and Nationals of Other States.

Bill 2 has had second reading.

---Carried

Bill 2 has had second reading and stands referred to a committee.

Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 7-16(3), Ministerial Benefits Policy. Item 21, report of Committee of the Whole. Item 22, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, item 23, orders of the day.