Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back, colleagues, as we reconvene the Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly.
Another beautiful autumn is upon the Northwest Territories. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to get out and enjoy it. As we return from a summer spent reconnecting with our communities, our constituents, our families and our land, we prepare for the busy session that lies ahead of us.
Members, on September 19th the Legislative
Assembly concluded our 20th anniversary
celebrations with the burial of a time capsule in front of the beautiful building that we call home. The capsule is scheduled to be opened in 30 years, during the building’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Please join me in welcoming our Pages for this sitting. We will have students from Hay River, Inuvik, Yellowknife, and the Sahtu, Thebacha and Deh Cho regions joining us in the House. It is always a pleasure to have them here.
Members, October 15th is recognized as a Day of
Remembrance and Awareness of Pregnancy and Infant Loss. Although the House did not sit yesterday, I ask all Members to join me in honouring those taken from us far too soon.
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my personal condolences, and the collective condolences of the House, to all families who have suffered the death of a small child, infant or preterm baby.
Members, today I would like to extend condolences to families and communities who have lost loved ones in recent weeks. When we lose a loved one in our small communities, it is felt by all. I am sending thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of Troy Taylor, Joe Roy Kimiksana Jr., Sue Keevik, Martha Kudlak, John Gruben Jr. and Eddie Bourke.
Colleagues, it is now my duty to advise the House that I have received the following message from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. It reads:
“Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of •
Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2015-2016
•
Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2014-2015, and
•
Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2014-2015
during the Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative
Assembly.
Yours truly, George L. Tuccaro, Commissioner.”
Thank you, colleagues. I know we are all eager to tackle the work at hand, so let us begin.
Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.