Mr. Speaker, of course, we will give all consideration to the motions that come forward from the NWT Association of Communities. They have been a very good partnership arrangement with many of the departments over the years to provide advice, to raise issues, and we certainly will take the time and provide the resources where we can to assist them in meeting some of the challenges that they’re facing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member from Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Member for the question. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services and its chief medical health officer support the addition of fluoride in drinking water as a measure to prevent tooth decay. The decision to add fluoride is made by municipal governments. The role of the department is to set maximum limits, through the drinking water regulations, and monitor the implementation. Communities that fluoridate their drinking water must monitor fluoride levels regularly to ensure that they remain within the guidelines established by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Drinking Water.

Mr. Speaker, in January of 2007 Health Canada commissioned an expert panel to review the scientific studies available on fluoride and its possible effects on health. The panel recommended that the maximum acceptable concentration of 1.5 micrograms, established by the Committee on Drinking Water, be maintained. This report is on the Health Canada website.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, three NWT communities fluoridate their drinking water: Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. Wrigley is the only NWT community that has natural fluoride levels in its drinking water supply that already meets the requirement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, I’m wondering...I know Health Canada has done some research in the past, but as a government, have we reviewed the appropriateness of the use of fluoride in the drinking water in the Northwest Territories for our residents and have we got a plan to do that in the near future? Thank you.

Yes, as government, the appropriate officials review this process and we are part of the international team.

Mr. Speaker, water fluoridation is the process of adjusting the level of fluoride in drinking water to provide dental health benefits. Many governments and health organizations, including Health Canada, the Canadian Pubic Health Association, the Canadian Dental Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the World Health Organization, endorse the fluoridation of drinking water as a safe and effective way to prevent tooth decay. In fact, Mr. Speaker, community water fluoridation has been identified by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th Century. Thank

you, Mr. Speaker.

I’m wondering if the Minister is aware that 98 percent of Europe currently doesn’t fluoridate their water. Many countries around the world have banned it outright. Quebec City has actually discontinued the use of fluoridation on April 1st of last year. Niagara region passed a bylaw in

February 2008 prohibiting water fluoridation. Thunder Bay recently said no thanks to water fluoridation. The number of citizens drinking fluoridated water in British Columbia and the province of Quebec has dropped to about 4 percent. Mr. Speaker, I think it’s time that the Government of the Northwest Territories revisit the fluoridation of our water here in the Northwest Territories.

Like I said earlier, drinking fluoridated water does not prevent cavities. The research proves that. So why are we continuing to add this toxic substance to our drinking water, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Obviously there are those who disagree with fluoridation of water. Mr. Speaker, I have invited anyone who had concern about this to sit down with the chief medical officer so that they could get more information, and I will continue to offer that. But as far as the Government of the Northwest Territories is concerned, we will accept and maintain the advice that we have from the CHMO’s office. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member from the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask questions to the Minister of ITI in terms of the businesses in the small communities. I wanted to ask about the tracking of the recently built school in Tulita, the new Chief Albert Wright School. I know the company that was in there. They did some good work there. I want to ask if the Minister has a report as to the socio-economic benefits that that project had in that community and also the region.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to point out to the Member that the responsibility for administrating the Business Incentive Policy is a shared responsibility between all the departments, and the ITI administers the Business Incentive Policy and provides the statistics and so on. But certainly I can commit to making that information requested available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I do thank the Minister for that commitment to make the report available, or some type of indication of a report to show me in terms of the benefits that went into the community and into the Sahtu region. Can the Minister also make me aware in terms of how this type of future reporting will happen also in the community of Fort Good Hope, where it’s also very appreciative of getting a new school, and how that type of a report will be done to myself? Thank you.

We’d be very pleased to provide information on whatever projects that the Minister wants in his riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. I would ask the Minister in terms of the tracking of the reporting, especially into the -- and I appreciate all the projects into the Sahtu region -- community of Fort Good Hope in terms of the building of the new school. I know the people are looking forward to it. I know they’ll be interested in seeing how the process will work, as Mr. Michael McLeod outlined a process for helping with the project here. Can the Minister commit to providing some interim or core reports on the building of the school in terms of how the businesses are being used in Fort Good Hope?

I already committed to providing information with regard to the school that has been completed in Tulita. When and if the Fort Good Hope school goes ahead, if it’s a negotiated contract, we do have a format and a requirement for reporting of all of the benefits. If it’s a tendered contract, we can also provide that information to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I say this again because even though it does look logical on paper, in practicality sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. So I’d ask the Minister in terms of some of the benefits that could be worked out in Fort Good Hope with the negotiated contract of whose going to build the school, that there is some close monitoring of these sections of the construction.

I do appreciate the Minister’s strong commitment to provide reports, and I’m looking forward to a more closely monitored report of the construction of the school, to see what type of benefits are going into the community.

I don’t know whether there’s been any determination of when or how the school would go forward or how it would be provided for. Our government has a Negotiated Contract Policy and as part of that policy there is a certain requirement to keep track of all of the benefits and jobs created and to report in a certain format. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member from Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of MACA. I’d like to ask the Minister what the status of any dust suppression work between MACA and the communities in Tu Nedhe are. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.