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Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Robert Villeneuve is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2007, as MLA for Tu Nedhe

Won his last election, in 2003, with 24% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Written Question 10-15(6): Income Security Program Treatment Of Impact Benefit Compensation May 14th, 2007

My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

  1. Can the Minister provide a copy of the legal opinion on income benefit agreement payments that stipulates IBA payments should be considered as earned Income for income security clients?
  2. Was this an independent legal opinion or an opinion provided by GNWT legal counsel?
  3. How do IBA distribution payments differ from the Inuvialuit regional agreement distribution payments?
  4. Why is the IBA distribution payment not considered an integral part of the land claims process by income security?

Mahsi.

Question 84-15(6): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan May 14th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I get the Minister to come forward with some indication to the proponents who, to my knowledge, have already approved the plan in principle of who we are waiting for to come forward to give their interest or state what their claim and interest in this management area? If they are totally legitimate, I don't see why not, but if they're really not that legitimate and we've been working on this thing for 13 years now, Mr. Speaker, so you know, why can't we just approve, because this is just a plan in principle. So why can't we just move forward with that and move along with some action on the management? Thank you.

Question 84-15(6): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan May 14th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess for the interest of the Akaitcho First Nations, the Lutselk'e First Nations and probably the Nunavut Government, could the Minister tell us who are these other interest groups and why do they want a seat on this management board all of a sudden? This has been in the works for 13 years and why are they only coming forward now when the plan is in next to the final stage of approval, Mr. Speaker? Why did we wait so long to hear from them and who are we waiting for? Thank you.

Question 84-15(6): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan May 14th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think, you know, like I stated earlier, the basic proponents and the people that are most affected by this management plan and should have the most input have approved this plan in principle. The longer we wait, the more people are going to come forward and say they should have a seat at this management committee for the Thelon Game Sanctuary when the Thelon Game Sanctuary doesn't even cross their borders or go into their areas. I would encourage that this Minister maybe who arranged the meeting in Lutselk'e just this last February, Mr. Speaker, just to reaffirm that the parties are still in approval in principle of the plan. Apparently they are and they're just kind of wondering who is going to give the approval. Is it the Minister's office or do they need Cabinet approval? Whose approval do they need at the end of the day? Thank you.

Question 84-15(6): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan May 14th, 2007

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources with regards to an area just east of Lutselk'e that is a unique, sheltered oasis within the Arctic tundra region. It is rich in wildlife, contains the Beverly caribou calving grounds, it's rich in fauna, and unfortunately it's also rich in uranium. There's also been a real long, 13-year, planning process that's been in the works since October 1994 into a management plan. The area I'm talking about is the Thelon Game Sanctuary, Mr. Speaker. The Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan has been worked on for a number of years and has also been approved in principle by the Lutselk'e First Nations, the Akaitcho Government, the Government of Nunavut, Government of Canada, the KIA, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, many stakeholders and interest groups that have been working diligently for years to get this plan, move this plan into action. I just want to know why this government has been the only interest group and stakeholder that hasn't formally approved this management plan to date. Can the Minister give me a status on that? Thank you.

Impact Of Alcohol Abuse On Young Northerners May 14th, 2007

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I also rise today to raise some awareness about the responsibilities of both the public and the government when we're addressing the social impacts of alcohol abuse here in the North, especially amongst our youth. Mr. Speaker, northerners have been living with the impacts of alcohol abuse in all our communities for many years. Many communities have groups and leaders that have come forward with many solutions on how to deal with this issue. Some have had some positive results, some negative, and some have not had any effect on curbing alcohol abuse within their respective communities. I'd just like to point out, Mr. Speaker, and commend all persons working toward an alcohol-free community, workplace or family, that your efforts do not go unnoticed, nor are they in vain. Because every little bit of awareness raised and addiction to alcohol avoided is success in my books, Mr. Speaker, especially for our youth.

The youth are the most at risk. It is with our youth that the effects of alcohol abuse are most noticeable because this often results in grief, pain and sorrow for families and communities by youth suicides, attempted suicides, assaults and other crimes related to alcohol.

Mr. Speaker, the real challenge for many -- and many do try -- is to try and provide some positive direction and instil a sense of dignity to our youth while, at the same time, trying to deal with our own demons. This is where we all have to have a responsibility to provide the support and encouragement to keep trying and help these people to never give up. We, as a government, need to continue to develop a campaign that puts more emphasis on programs that contribute to social well-being, like sports and recreation, education, and family planning, while, at the same time, denormalizing alcohol use in our daily lives so that one day our youth can stand up and declare to themselves and their family and to their friends that alcohol use is not normal for them and in their surroundings as it was in the past. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Motion 4-15(6): Territorial Power Subsidy Program, Carried May 13th, 2007

Marci, Mr. Speaker. I also rise in support of this Territorial Power Subsidy Program motion due to all the reasons that we've already heard here today, Mr. Speaker, but also because of the fact that this program is almost 20 years old. In any subsidy program, I think, that this government initiates, should be revisited bi-annually or every five years to ensure that all the public money that we give out as a subsidy is being used in the best interest and in the smartest way that this government can work with. I think residential and commercial rates here in the NWT are definitely exorbitant and I think there's a real big imbalance between hydro and diesel, and that's not anything new to anybody here in the House. I would like to see more subsidies going out to the diesel communities and probably even less or no subsidies provided for hydro power and I'm sure we can strike a balance there somewhere. With the Power Corp that provides almost nine to 10 million in subsidies through the rate structure today, I think we really have to come to terms and sit down and think about how we're spending that money and are we spending it to the best benefit of all NWT residents on a fair and equal playing field. I think this motion here would probably bring the government to the table to address that issue and I hope that this will be worked into the government's energy plan, and that residents in Colville Lake and these very high rated communities that pay just right through the nose for power. It's a real detriment to the small business growth in these small areas and small communities, Mr. Speaker. I hope that a revised subsidy program will encourage small business to come to the plate and say, you know, it could be a viable business, because the government spun some things around with the subsidy program and it will really help me move forward in creating small business in the small centres. I hope that this program and this motion would contribute to that success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Motion 5-15(6): Criminal Records Check, Carried May 13th, 2007

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise in support of this motion. It is a good start. I know a motion like this doesn't give all families 100 per cent confidence that our systems are protective of our children, but at least we are starting somewhere to give people a level of confidence to look at this government and say that we do care about our valuable resource here in the North, being our children, and that we are willing to take some extreme steps to ensure that that safety is covered under an umbrella motion like this which would basically give all our families in the NWT some level of comfort in our social institutions across the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project May 13th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't see any legislation being a big roadblock to implementing any kind of toll fee on our highway system which really takes a lot of wear and tear over one year. We are just dishing out millions and millions of dollars to keep the highway open free of charge. I know that the mines charge companies roughly about $100,000 a year to use their ice roads. We don't charge anybody any toll fee to use our ice bridges or any bridges that we have up and down the Mackenzie Valley, so why don't we consider something like that? If we want to be smart businesspeople here, let's act like businesspeople here and treat our customers like everybody else treats them. If they have money to spend, why don't we get some of it? By that, I mean why can't we put in some kind of a bridge reserve fund starting soon so...

Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project May 13th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, if we need some more marine transportation legislation, fine, let's just forget about the toll on the ferry. Let's have a toll on our highway system. How about that? Why don't we put a toll fee right at the weigh scales in Enterprise where the trucks come in? Why can't they pay a toll fee right there? I don't see that charging them $10 extra is going to make any big difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.