The motion is in order. To the motion.

Are there general comments on Committee Report 5-16(6)? Detail? Mr. Menicoche.

Does committee agreed?

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. In Committee of the Whole we have Committee Report 5-16(6). What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we heard earlier from the Minister, he doesn’t really like to be seen as directing departments or even tour operators for that, but I’d just like to suggest to the Minister that he write those letters and try to entice those people that are handling government contracts or providing government services, that they do consider summer employment as one of their options to stimulate our economy, but more importantly, give our young people an opportunity to go to work. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I think the message we’re trying to send here to the Ministers and the different departments is that we want you to not

only meet but we want you to beat those numbers from last year and get more summer students into the public workforce. I’d like to ask the Minister when did you start planning to hire summer students, and more importantly, what are we doing by way of promoting those opportunities so the students are aware that those opportunities are out there.

Mr. Speaker, as we noted last year, this department had one of the higher summer hires by way of 32 positions, but I notice it’s down this year. I’d like to ask the Minister, to date, how many positions have been hired and are we going to try to exceed the 32 positions from last year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of ITI, Mr. McLeod. It’s in regard to the position that he holds

in regard to the area of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I think that a lot of times we lose sight that we do have subsidiaries out there, regardless if it’s through the Business Credit Corporation. In my riding we have the Fort McPherson Canvas Shop, which, again, gives younger people the opportunity to get training, but more importantly, get their first jobs.

Also, the other area in which the Minister is responsible is the area of tourism, in which a lot of Members in this House have had that opportunity of getting summer employment in that area. Again, I’d like to ask the Minister, as a department, have you looked at all the subsidiaries and all the different programs and services that you deliver to try to enhance the summer employment programs so that we can get the summer students in the different areas, regardless if it’s through the Business Credit Corporation, their subsidiaries, or through the parks and tourism infrastructure we have throughout the Northwest Territories so we give them that opportunity and also in the front-line workers?

I’d like to ask the Minister, have you broadened your scope of areas that summer students can work in so that we can hire more summer students in your department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, it took political will and lobbying to the Premier to get this Minister to move on this effort so that he could back down from his reluctance to negotiate contracts. It took public influence to get this Cabinet and government to agree to two projects in my riding.

There were letters from Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic. None were approved to Cabinet. The only reason that went to Cabinet is because the Premier was speaking to the public individuals in the communities by the community leadership so that we can see some benefit from these projects in our communities and not see the wealth go to the other regional centres. I’d like to ask the Minister, since you’ve become Minister how many negotiated contracts have you taken to Cabinet in the Northwest Territories for housing.