Alfred Moses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple people up in the gallery today: Ms. Julie Green, who is a very strong community advocate and one for the Anti-Poverty Strategy. I really appreciate what she does for the small communities and speaking up for the small communities. I’d like to recognize Mr. Grant Gowans who’s been a childhood friend of mine. He grew up in Inuvik and now resides in Yellowknife. But he’s taken on a new portfolio and I wish him luck in that portfolio.

I’d also like to recognize Mr. Andre Corriveau. He’s been a very strong mentor of mine but also a very strong...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree. The more information we get from our people speaking up, the better we can go ahead and make the decisions that we need to do. But there are 21 strategies and initiatives that I mentioned, not to mention the ones that have been developed since this consultation in 2009 and 2010.

I want to get back into the small communities. Because we’re going to be doing a symposium and I’m assuming that we’re going to invite the same people that we’re going to hear from at the regional sessions, I want to ask the Minister whether or not he can speak with his stakeholders to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a few comments. First of all I just want to make some comments on the ferry operations in Inuvik this past winter. The first year was definitely a learning experience. The way it was developed and operated this year was excellent. I know all the guys working on it and some people making comments said it was really well done this year. Moving forward, it’s going to be a very efficient practice getting that up and running.

I also want to just make a comment about the Aviation Career Development Program. I am pretty sure that scholarship is fully utilized every year and...

I appreciate the efforts that are going into this Oil and Gas Strategy and looking at trying to get our resources out to market. However, we do have two communities in the Northwest Territories that are actually surrounded by oil and gas and having issues with their gas situation, and that’s Norman Wells and Inuvik.

I wonder if, in this strategy, whether or not the Minister would look at… We’re building all this infrastructure and roads with the Canada Building Fund, once that gets approved, to get our resources out to market. I’m thinking about a different type of infrastructure in terms of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment made a statement in the House the other day about the Oil and Gas Strategy, and in his statement he mentions that he’s got a job on the expertise and knowledge of regional territorial stakeholders, Aboriginal governments and industry to develop a strategy that truly reflects northern values and priorities.

Can I ask the Minister just to get an update on where he is with that? Has he held these regional meetings, specifically up in the Beaufort-Delta, to look at developing this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just another comment about the feasibility of maybe looking at a deep water port for the Beaufort Sea in terms of the vessels going through the Northwest Passage on a more recurring basis and it might be an opportunity for various things in terms of getting our resources out to market and bringing supplies in for the coastal communities, those kinds of things. So I’d like to know if that’s something that the department is looking into. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad to hear that that’s a possibility. I want to make sure that there’s an assurance to that.

When this strategy is being developed and with the Inuvik-Tuk highway being developed, as well, can the Minister ensure residents of the Beaufort-Delta that infrastructure will be on the agenda to get the oil and gas back to the communities of Inuvik and possibly Tuktoyaktuk when we’re developing the strategy? Thank you.

In terms of just starting the process of consultation, I’d like to ask the Minister, has he had any consultation with Aurora College and learning centres? Specifically in Inuvik, they have that mobile trades unit that can go into the communities and train our individuals on these particular appropriate trades and skills for the oil and gas sector when that economy picks back up.

Has he had those consultations with Aurora College to start developing those kinds of trades programs so that we’ll have people trained and educated and ready to take the jobs when the economy picks back up?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know the importance of how sport can positively affect and influence a child’s life. In most cases success in sport at a young age can also lead to success in life.

About the same time last year, I stood in this House to recognize the accomplishments of a group of younger superstars, the East Three Eagles Elementary Basketball Team, claiming their first ever banner for the new school and new gymnasium in Inuvik. Today I’d like to stand in this House and once again recognize this group of young, fine gentlemen on defending their championship last weekend here in...

I agree, not everybody wants to go to treatment, but in some cases not everybody wants the help. But as caring community members, caring families, friends, they see it.

With that, I’ll just lead up into what our current Mental Health Act talks about in terms of, I guess, the substitute consent giver part in here and it’s under the Personal Directives Act. I know that some Members were concerned about the wait times that some community members have to go to treatment, and in some cases the person doesn’t want to go. But under this one act, the Personal Directives Act, it talks about who can...