Yes, we are. We’ve also had face-to-face discussions during NWT Days with the federal Minister of Transportation, Minister responsible for Infrastructure, which it is under his bailiwick.

We’re at a point now where we are looking at the business case that we’ve produced. The federal government has asked us for a business case. We’re able to produce a business case. It’s 300 pages long so it takes a lot of work to present this business case to the federal government, and it’s done. We are now looking at that to ensure that all the information that’s required from the federal government is in this business case. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Three hundred pages long, if we read one page a day I think we should get to it.

I want to ask the Minister, in the business case of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, as with the Inuvik-Tuk highway, are there pre-training types of employment opportunities for the Mackenzie Valley Highway in the business case with the Department of Transportation?

I think that’s one of the lessons that we will learn from the Inuvik-Tuk highway, what type of training should occur. Certainly any impacts on the economy, the economic impacts are part of the business case. So, training individuals, employment, on the site employment to the region and overall economic impacts of such a huge infrastructure project are certainly in the business case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had the pleasure yesterday of meeting with the folks from Dechinta and they expressed, very well by the way, their desire about continuing in their program here in the Northwest Territories and they cited about their need of support, and support means cash, obviously, but it also means enabling legislation.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, what work is being done on developing legislation that could allow Dechinta to create its own northern university? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Aurora College and Dechinta have been working very closely together. Both institutions, both facilities deliver degree programming through southern institutions. So they’re not recognized as a degree-granting institution, but they are involved in a partnership with southern institutions. So they allow that through our campuses with a partnership for another two years in a southern institution.

So, in order to change that, we have to change our legislation in order to recognize the institution to be granting degree programming into our facilities. Those are the processes that have been discussed with Dechinta and Aurora College institution as well. Thank you.

My understanding is that some of these questions were asked last week, but there’s certainly no reason not to ask these questions again and ensure we get clear policy direction from the Department of Education and to show that we’re moving in the right direction.

So, when can we see something that would create enabling legislation so that this organization can be a stand-alone university in the Northwest Territories? They’re working very hard with the University of Alberta and the McGill University. They’ve also told me that they have in the range of 22 Ph.D. professor types who will work in partnership here in the Northwest Territories. They don’t need bricks and mortar; they need legislation. So, I just want to see what support our government is getting behind and when can we see an aspect of legislation come forward? Thank you.

As indicated earlier, we are working very closely with the Dechinta stakeholder, the owner of Dechinta. I just met with her at the Skills for Success symposium. We talked about the process; we talked about the business planning process; we talked about the legislation, how there has to be a process in play. I did mention to her that the college is working very closely with her, so there is a process in place in order to make

those changes in this House. So, time is of the essence.

Those are the processes that we continue to work with the stakeholders. Mahsi.

I think I heard the word “process” four or five times there. I didn’t actually count. When will we see this process actually emerge to a result? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, obviously we’re at the end of our budget session. In order for this to happen, we have to deal with the stakeholders. It’s not only Dechinta, it’s Aurora College and other organizations that need to have their input as well. So, more than likely it won’t happen during the life of this Assembly. But in the transition period for the next Assembly, this is a discussion that more than likely will happen. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Speaker, respectfully I say I fail to understand why this sort of looming election always affects the work we’re doing in the Northwest Territories. It continues to be the overriding well, we can’t work on this because we have an election. Frankly, the bureaucracy’s machinery keeps grinding forward day after day after day. It doesn’t care who the politicians are. The process and the bureaucracy keeps working forward every day for us. Politicians are talking heads of departments, that’s all.

So, I’m asking what type of time frame can we see a legislative proposal or document that the public can see. It doesn’t matter if we have an election; what matters is the department is working on it and when can we see it. Thank you.

As I stated, these are the discussions that we’re currently having with the people who are involved, whether it be Dechinta, the college or my department. In order to push through legislation within this House, there has to be considerable consultation. It won’t just happen at the snap of a finger, Mr. Speaker. So, those are discussions we are currently having.

As I stated, there is a process in place. Yes, I may have mentioned four times the process. It’s very important to have a process in place to deliver those key messages, key deliveries into our legislation. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 8, written questions. Mr. Yakeleya.

My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Would the Minister provide the following information:

1. Which mining companies contribute to non-profit

organizations in the NWT, and how much do they contribute?

2. How many NWT residents who work for mining

companies active in the NWT live in communities other than Yellowknife?

3. How many lakes have been lost to diamond

mines and how much water was drained from NWT lakes to accommodate diamond mines?

4. How many fish were lost when these lakes were

drained, and what has been done to compensate for the loss of fish habitat?

5. What is the impact of winter roads to the

diamond mines on caribou herds?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back on the orders of the day to item 5, please.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize some of the folks in the gallery. They are part of the Tlicho Community Services Agency. It’s been 10 years in the making since the Tlicho Land Claim came into effect, so they’ve been working diligently and the board members are here with us. I’d just like to recognize Mr. Ted Blondin, who is the chair of the Tlicho Community Services Agency. Also, Gloria Ekendia-Gon is a Gameti representative; and Mr. Ted Nitsiza, a representative from Whati. Next to him is Mary Adelle Football from Wekweeti, a representative. Also, I’d just like to recognize Mr. Glen Blondin with us here as well.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Ted Blondin, a Lethbridge alumni and a good friend from going to university in Lethbridge. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Mr. Nadli.