Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Colleagues, notwithstanding the extended adjournment of the House to May 11, 2010, I was asked by the Premier, on behalf of the Executive Council, to convene a sitting of this House to commence today, Tuesday, March 23, 2010. The Premier advised me in a letter dated March 4, 2010, that the government was requesting this sitting of the Assembly to allow for the consideration of important financial matters which must be dealt with prior to the May 11th sitting.

Our rules do not specifically address the recalling of the House during an adjournment, so I turned to the House of Commons Procedures and Practices, Second Edition, 2009, for direction. Accordingly, Members, I sent a message to each of you advising the request and asked any Members who objected or who were unable to attend this sitting to contact me. I did not hear from any Members who objected or were unable to attend. I then advised the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, in a letter dated March 8, 2010, that I would be convening a sitting of this Legislative Assembly at 1:30 p.m. on March 23, 2010. I also advised the Clerk that the purpose of the sitting was to consider a supplementary appropriation bill. At the appropriate time, colleagues, I will table the letter which was received from the Premier, on behalf of the Executive Council, concerning this recall.

Colleagues, it is now my duty to advise the House that I have received the following message from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and it reads:

Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2010-2011, during the Fifth Session of the 16th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, Anthony W.J. Whitford, Commissioner.

Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.