Mr. Speaker, has the GNWT developed a standard strategy to engage newly elected officials? Thank you.

We do have a policy and that is why, for example, the School of Community Government went into place and was developed to help our communities in the Northwest Territories build capacity and assist them in providing the necessary supports that they need in their communities. So that’s the first thing that we have in place and it incorporates a number of the training initiatives and supports along those lines.

The one difference is because bands are under the federal legislation there’s a slightly different arrangement there, but we still extend much of the same services. I’d have to get a little more detail and provide that to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The time for question has expired; however, I will allow the Member a final supplementary question. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the GNWT, we work on several projects with the communities whether it be a community council or a band council. Does the GNWT have a plan that updates all of the newly elected officials soon after their election on the initiatives and projects that are occurring in those communities? Thank you.

My understanding is an offer is made to a newly elected chief and council or a newly elected municipal council as well. In the area of band councils, we work under their direction in the sense of when they’re ready to make the request or accept an offer that’s been made. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 5 on the Order Paper.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you honourable colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to recognize three great leaders from the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada, Deline, Sahtu: Danny Gaudet, government negotiator, Chief Raymond Tutcho, and president of the land corporation, Mr. Peter Menacho.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and they are in relation to the Growing Forward Program administered by his Department.

Would the Minister provide the following information for the previous two fiscal years as well as the current fiscal year 2010-2011:

1. How much funding has been made available

and how much was accessed from this program?

2. What amounts of funding have been distributed

under the Growing Forward Program and who were the recipients whether it was a business, individual or non-government organization?

Could this information be further broken down by community?

3. How is this funding allocated to each recipient?

More specifically, how was the funding calculated and designated? What formula was utilized? A base funding approach or other means? Also, provide specific allocation rationale for each individual case so that the justification for each allocation can be accounted for.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance.

What have been the costs by year during the term of the 16th Assembly to date and budgeted for this

fiscal year for activities relating to the Mackenzie Gas Project including such costs as:

a) preparation for and participating in Joint

Review Panel and National Energy Board proceedings;

b) travel and receptions by Ministers with MLAs

and officials;

c) staff positions and contractor services; and

d) communications planning, promotional events,

publicity and advertising.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 7.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister responsible for Transportation in regard to the Frog Creek pit. As we all know, it is a pit that has given the government free access for a number of years under the land claim agreement. Its term is almost up in a number of years. I’d like to ask the Minister, is this government budgeting money to do the reclamation of the pit? Since the Government of the Northwest Territories was the sole user and as part of the agreement that gave the government free access, it also included that they also had to do the reclamation of that pit. So I’d like to ask the Minister exactly has this department budgeted for the reclamation of the Frog Creek pit between Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all sites that are used for construction of facilities, our transportation links fall under certain rules and responsibilities and if reclamation is part of our responsibility then we will certainly look at it. In this case, I’d have to go back and see who the owner of the pit is and whose responsibility that would fall under. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, there is already a Frog Creek development and reclamation plan that has been done between the Department of Transportation and the Gwich’in Land and Water Board. I believe this policy directs the government

to do that. They’ve already developed this. It’s a heavy document.

I’d like to ask the Minister, in light of the time limit that is coming close here where the government’s free access will be lapsed and where they’re going to start having to pay to use that pit, I’d like to ask the Minister, can you ensure that you are following the pit management plan, but more importantly, ensure that this government sets aside dollars for the reclamation of that pit prior to leaving that pit in regards to the free accommodation that you had for a number of years?

Mr. Speaker, obviously we have a plan, since the Member is holding it in his hand. Mr. Speaker, I’m not familiar and I can’t say with any certainty what the actual plan for investment in this pit will be. I’d have to look at the situation, talk to my officials, and see where and when reclamation will be looked into and provided for for this pit. If that falls under our responsibility, then that will be part of our plan. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons I also raise this issue is because the residents of the communities are concerned that a lot of material is leaving the pit with no monitoring and also a lot of these are government contracts. Again, there has to be a better job of monitoring this site and, more importantly, the possibility of having some gates or something in place. I know that the government doesn’t like that, but I think we have to do something to protect the remaining gravel resources that are there. So I’d like to ask the Minister, in light of the pit management plan which identifies certain obligations that people have when they go in there, and to ensure that this government is upholding those obligations in the plan, I’d like to ask the Minister if he would also look into that to ensure that they are abiding by the plan and, more importantly, stop the people from basically misusing that pit. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly commit to doing that.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.