Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a couple of comments here. Being back home in Inuvik on my last time out, I had a few constituents approach me about the lack of jobs in the community and how some of them had to take their pride into consideration and go on income support. Creating these jobs and putting people back to work will affect some of our social concerns that we have in the Northwest Territories and also help with a good discussion we had earlier today on the Anti-Poverty Strategy.

I’m really happy to see that there has been $1 million earmarked to complete the planning for the Inuvik-Tuk highway. It will go to use and a lot of people will benefit from that within our departments, social departments as well as people up in the Beaufort-Delta going back to work. I just wanted to congratulate the government on looking at that for this next fiscal year.

We spoke a little earlier, just listening to comments about if the government decides to go beyond its debt wall for the new fiscal year, we will be looking at the red flag projects. I would also like this government to look at some new possible projects that some of our new Members that have come into the Assembly might be bringing forth, that they not be put on the waiting list. Specifically one project that I made reference to in my Member’s statement is the Children First Centre in Inuvik. The community itself has invested a lot of time and energy, and when you have a vested interest like that, you know the community will go forth and do good with the project and make sure that it’s successful. If we get the government behind them, you know it will be a strong and good investment, especially with all these infrastructural projects that we have lined up for years to come. It would be very smart for the government to look at helping create that so when the new school opens and the existing facility is gone, professionals and people coming up to Inuvik will have a place for their children to go to school while they’re working and contributing to the economy of Inuvik.

We had some talks in terms of devolution, and personally, with all the social issues and money that we have and stresses that affect all our communities, we’ve heard it here over the last hour. Like you said, I’m really hoping that we can come to terms and get an agreement signed this year, because it is a lot of money that can be going to communities. I do look forward to being part of that and giving the best advice, and influence and encouragement that I can.

So you guys are doing a great job and I really look forward to this. Thank you.

Being new to the government, I look forward to working with the Minister of ECE to further move this project forward and thank him for his time answering the questions. No further questions from this point on.

With students coming out of their communities attending regional centres, specifically in the Beaufort-Delta, their culture and tradition are sometimes lost. They don’t get a chance to practise it. I’d like to see or find out what the timeline is that the department will be looking into getting this e-learning set back up into the community. It did seem between 2000 and 2005 that they did reach a lot of the students. I’d just like to see what the timeline is to have that brought back into the Beaufort-Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. With the fibre optic link on the horizon and education and social passing an issue in some of our smaller communities, I was wondering if the department had any initiatives that would bring e-learning into the communities, especially the ones that are sometimes hard to get into that would only have one or two high school students, and make it more cost-effective what they have on the horizon there for e-learning.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. April of 2012 we can expect people of the communities of the Northwest Territories, the ones that have been waiting for the last few years, to start moving through the process and getting their surgeries taken care of by this 17

th Legislative Assembly and

the government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I respect the answer that the department is doing as much as it can. Is there an expected timeline that these surgeries can be brought back on schedule so that the people in the communities that have been waiting of the last couple of years have confidence in this government that they are moving forward and have that interest in getting them back on their feet and healthy and becoming society again.

With the new standard put in place, that’s probably been about the amount of time since the backlog started. It has taken awhile and I was just wondering what the plan in place was to address the backlog and what exactly is the plan that the Department of Health has come up with to address the backlog of these elective surgeries.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is also for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Coming from Inuvik, over the past couple of years I’ve seen a backlog of surgeries, specifically joint replacement surgeries and the

backlog has led to inactivity, sedentary lifestyles, which lead to people becoming overweight and can lead to obesity, which also leads to chronic conditions. With our ever growing senior populations, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health what is the reason for this backlog, specifically joint replacement surgeries.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize constituent Jane Charlie and her two boys from Inuvik and I’m not sure if she’s still here, but Ms. Lillian Elias from Inuvik as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.