Obviously we have a difference of opinion. I feel that it’s important to give some people a heads up before we drop this act in front of them. I feel that it’s important that the department or, rather, the Minister before he places an act in front of us is sure that everybody’s voice has been heard.

Over the 56 versions in the 17 years of developing this act I wonder if the Minister could tell me how much has been spent in consulting each of the two communities, the Aboriginal and treaty rights holders and those without these rights. Could the Minister give me that information?

This process in its entirety has cost well nigh onto $2 million.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That was not a response. I asked specifically what the cost breakdown between the two different communities, the treaty rights holders and the individuals without these rights, what are those individual costs? Also, it’s my understanding, at least from the session that I attended, that the department had individuals attending these sessions who were documenting everything that was said. I was wondering if the Minister could confirm that detailed notes were put together and whether or not those detailed notes that explain what they heard could be shared.

I’m not quite sure what type of distinction the Member wants to create. We had public meetings -- public meetings -- in every community. Some we went back to twice. Now, was the Member expecting us to do a head count and count who was Aboriginal and who was non-Aboriginal and apportion cost by head count? I don’t know what point the Member is making here. The fact is this process for Northerners cost well nigh into $2 million and, yes, we had note takers at the meeting. Yes, notes were taken. I will check to see what would be the best way to possibly put out a summary of the various observations and feedback that we did receive.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. First let me commend the parent group for their tireless efforts in fundraising. This will definitely go a long way. As I stated when I was visiting Fort Simpson, I’m willing to work with the parents and willing to work with the DEA. There has been some correspondence between MLA Menicoche, myself and the DEA that we need to collaborate together. Working with the parent group, I must say that they are kick-starting this fundraising initiative and I’m willing to work with that.

That’s exactly what the parents are looking for, that the Minister is willing to work with the community, because now it’s a community-based organization; the work with the DEA, the Dehcho Divisional Education Council as well. Once the collaboration continues, will the Education, Culture and Employment Minister be contributing to the Bompas Elementary School playground initiative?

We don’t have specific funding for playground equipment that the Member is referring to for replacement of, but I did commit in this House that I’m willing to work with the parents group and the fundraising that they’re initiating to see what we can do as a department. I’m willing to work with that DEA member and also the parents group. That will be my commitment.

I think the Minister made a soft commitment here and the parents group are looking for something stronger. They thought that he had said something stronger back in the October meeting. That’s the type of commitment that I’m looking for here today, and the parents group is really looking forward to the Minister helping out with this very important issue for the children in Fort Simpson.

I did make a commitment. It may be soft but, as I indicated, my

department will work closely with the DEA. I understand there’s been some correspondence on the playground equipment, the cost of it. The Member has alluded to $60,000 for the playground. That’s the number that we need to work with. How much the fundraising initiative of the parents group will be initiating still remains to be seen, but as I made the commitment, let’s work with this and work with the community of Fort Simpson to see what will come out of it.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. For sure the parents have been raising money. I’m going to use $10,000 as an estimate. They’ve been working very hard, the parents, the children, the teachers. I’d like to ask the Minister to acknowledge that, that they have been working hard and they will be looking for matching funds.

I definitely acknowledge that. Any group or organization that kick-starts fundraising or other initiatives, that’s always something that we want to work with as a department, as the GNWT. If there are matching funds that the Member is alluding to, those are the areas that we need to explore. Again, I’m willing to work with that.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For my Member’s statement today I was talking about Darnley Bay Resources and Diadem Resources who are looking for precious metals and diamonds in the community of Paulatuk, just outside of the community; the night of another promising indicator the results of the recent findings and the demands of a number of groups and organizations to see the Paulatuk community participate meaningfully. Will this government devote necessary resources to train people to build infrastructure needed so the local economy can truly benefit?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Darnley Bay project is in the early exploration stages and the president and CEO, Mr. Stephen Reford, was in Paulatuk on February 1st and at that

time he announced that there would be two drilling campaigns underway in 2011. We’re very excited about that.

As well, Diadem Resources Ltd., which is a 50 percent partner, also announced the results of their diamond drilling on the Franklin diamond project

which is located on Parry Peninsula. The results are very encouraging. There are seven diamondiferous kimberlites discovered, including one microdiamond. So the potential looks very good. As the project progresses, I’m sure that, as in other diamond projects, we would work on developing the necessary infrastructure as we go forward.

Similar to the funding provided to the Paulatuk Development Corporation for the purchase of the 20-person movable exploration camp, will the government consider providing funding for the economic ventures that require considerable start-up, such as buying the equipment needed and the training of local people? Other than bringing them in from outside, we want meaningful employment. The diamond mines that we have here in the Territory already do not hire from Nunakput, so we want to train our own so that we can take care of ourselves.

That certainly is the basis for the Sustainable Development Policy of the Government of the Northwest Territories. We’d be very pleased to work with the community as opportunities become real and as the results of the exploration are examined and confirmed.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We get the training that is needed as we go forward to the project, that training of all positions of these two major projects that I hope to go through with regard to the local hires before the outsiders come in, basically taking care of our local people in the communities in the region of Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, would this government be able to set up sort of like a mine training exercise up in the Inuvik region? Thank you.

The president and CEO, when he visited Paulatuk, his primary purpose was to lay out the groundwork for the hiring of local people as well as fine-tuning the logistical aspects of the project. We have set up mine training projects with other communities and we would be very pleased to approach the Mine Training Society and work with the community of Paulatuk. Thank you.