There was some funding available in the budget that was recently passed to look at expanding respite services outside of Yellowknife. It was a modest amount of money, but it was a start. As I’ve indicated in this House to the many questions that we’ve had and requests for program enhancements, be it midwifery or addiction services or other facilities to be built or other program areas, as we all know, as I indicated in my fiscal update as Minister of Finance, we have significant fiscal constraints that precludes us at this point from engaging in any significant new program expansions. Keeping in mind as well that we’re only four months from the end of our term and we’re building up the work for the new Assembly to consider as they set about setting their priorities and looking at the budget for 2012-2013.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about opportunities that ITI I’m hoping will consider. I’ve proposed to them a program called in-the-NWT. In my Member’s statement I talked about the success the Made-in-the-NWT Program has developed into and many northern businesses have expressed to me with great pride that they’re able to access that, promote their products from a made-in-the-NWT point of view. I thought, after considering that, that that was really the genesis of what could be in the NWT and it could be applied to many industries. So I had a graphic artist work with me to come up with a number of concepts that I tabled yesterday. It is not limited to what I tabled. There are many other ideas that could come out of it. I’d like to ask the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment as to what he thinks of the concept thus far and has the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment had a chance to evaluate the concept I brought to them.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government we’re always looking at ways to promote the North, and to attract visitors and investment, and promote locally produced, locally manufactured products. We have quite a number of promotional campaigns that we are delivering. Any opportunity that we can find to help us do a better

job, we seriously look at it. We haven’t been able to find a one-size-fits-all program as of yet, so we’re intrigued by this idea. I’ve asked the Northwest Territories Tourism Marketing Committee to look at this and see if it would fit within the parameters of what we’re doing, and also to identify how we would reach our target audiences with such a program as the Member has outlined.

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. I’ve approached different people in industries and I’ve talked to some people in the film industry. They thought it was an interesting concept. I’ve talked to people in the agriculture industry and they thought it was kind of nice. They’re certainly looking forward to what the government can do, if they can do anything, on the context of this concept. The product I brought to the Minister and that I tabled before the House yesterday was not to be a finished product. It was about trying to spark the genesis of new ideas that are rightly suited with the territorial marketing campaign and identity. This is just meant to be a vehicle of thinking and getting some ideas on the table.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, the idea here is really in the NWT, but the bottom line is only in the NWT, because, I mean, a lot of exciting things happen here and I think we can market ourselves with this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister see the department in a way that they’re able to respond to this, getting advice from the NWT Tourism or their marketing team or even any of the chambers, for that matter, because I’ve even spoken to people in the business community. Does he see a potential of getting an answer, opportunity, or some type of direction mandate from these groups within a short period here so we can set the course on this initiative before the end of the Assembly? Thank you.

That’s my intention. As I said, I’ve asked the NWT Tourism Marketing Committee to look at it. I also will be running it by my ministerial advisory panel. We meet generally on a semi-annual basis. We also with the NWT Chamber of Commerce jointly developed a brand for products that are manufactured in the Northwest Territories. We have to look at how this would work with some of the other brands that we’ve developed. For example, for fur we have the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program. We’ve developed a brand to promote Northwest Territories artists, and we have a number of other brands that we use. We will look at all of these different things to see whether this would take away, detract, or would advance our branding programs. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my questions to the Minister of ECE.

I just want to start by saying that I appreciate the Minister’s commitment to update Social Programs on what he’s hearing on the Aboriginal student achievement review, but that’s not what I was asking. What I am seeking specifically, recognizing that true early childhood development can be the cornerstone and perhaps the most important cornerstone of this achievement initiative, will the Minister commit to offer, at the earliest opportunity, a briefing on how the two reviews, ASA and early childhood, will be integrated before any decisions are made? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I did already commit to meeting with the committee and we can meet whenever the committee is available to discuss the ASA, and also the Early Childhood Development Framework integration, and the dates and so forth. I’ve committed to meeting with the committee. Mahsi.

I don’t have any further questions. Thanks to the Minister for that commitment.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A particular issue I’ve been raising for a number of years, as well as my colleague Ms. Bisaro, is the distracted driving legislation, and it is of significant concern to a number of other MLAs in this House.

Mr. Speaker, recently at one of my constituency meetings people were wondering if the government will be moving forward on this type of initiative, especially recognizing the amount of time left in this particular Assembly and knowing full well that if legislation isn’t introduced in this sitting it won’t be considered under this government, under the 16

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Assembly, and of course, this will be a decision for the 17

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at that rate.

Mr. Speaker, my question would be to the Minister of Transportation. Does he see his department moving on any type of distracted driving legislation coming forward within the remainder of this particular session that ends by next Thursday? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Deputy Premier. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Deputy Premier if he would work with me to take up the initiative to declare a Canadian historical site in Colville Lake to the log buildings that Bern Will Brown built so that they would be looked after by this society.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Deputy Premier, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not aware of any process to do that. I understand, as well, that Mr. Brown is still half way residing there. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister again, Mr. Brown has written to me and he’s asking me to urge this government here to consider helping him, along with myself -- I support him -- to look at declaring the facilities that he has built in Colville Lake as a Canadian historical site. He is afraid that these buildings won’t be maintained once he’s passed on to the other world. At this stage we’re asking if this government will look at an initiative like this to bring to the federal government’s attention.

I’m not familiar with that request and I’ll have to do some work to find out what exactly the status is, so I will take that question as notice.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The time for question period has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 16, 2011, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that the Government of the Northwest Territories take immediate action to identify the various options for establishing a mobile alcohol and drug treatment program that can be delivered on the land, and report back to the 17

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Legislative Assembly during

the first six months of its term in office.