Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister provides some very interesting statistics, knowing there is a need for foster parenting. He mentioned group homes. I was wondering how many group homes do we currently have in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you. I guess I could have been a little bit more specific. I guess what I was looking for is as a department do we have enough foster parent families for the amount of children that are being apprehended or that need foster care?

Does this government have enough foster parent families as we talk about this situation right now? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to point out in the report under considerations that were taken by this commission, under Section 9 of the act it specifies factors that the commission must take into consideration, under Section 9(g), language, culture and other special community or diversity of interests of residents of any part of the Northwest Territories was taken into consideration. I just wanted to point that out to Members who feel that or even making accusations that the commission itself did contravene the act itself, that they covered all their bases and that’s what we’re making...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just before I begin here, I just want to echo some of the comments made by my colleagues, and that’s in no way are we disrespecting any Aboriginal groups, and in fact, I think that the Aboriginal and GNWT relations are as strong as ever, and it started with the 17th Legislative Assembly. I know all you guys can remember the time we were down in Detah and we started those discussions, and continue those discussions. As elected leaders both in Aboriginal groups, municipal or territorial, we do what’s for our residents and constituents that we represent. It’s under this...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Before I begin, I’d like to commend the work that was done by the Electoral Boundaries Commission bringing forth what this government actually gave direction to. With that said, perhaps, maybe in hindsight, we could have actually given a little bit better direction in how this government wanted to proceed on such an important issue that’s going to affect representation of our constituents and residents of the NWT moving forward.

The Northwest Territories is very unique in that we have a very diverse culture. I represent many different groups, some that weren’t First...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the news release, entitled NWT Student Uses Modern Technology to Study Historic Aboriginal Land Claim - Video to Debut in Ottawa. It highlights Julienne Chipesia, a student at East Three School who did some work in the Gwich’in land claim treaty and was one of four nationally recognized videos that will be recognized later this month. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we already have a high cost of living. We are adding more costs to our long-term residents of the Northwest Territories and we’re asking them to front costs on medical travel for their children and family members that are non-status.

Can the Minister give me a timeline on the revision of this Medical Travel Policy that can come before committee so we can start working on that? Does he have a timeline so we will see the revision of this Medical Travel Policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I talked about medical travel and the policy and how it needs to be fixed up. I have questions today for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It was brought to my attention last week, and the Minister knows that we do lack some services in the communities, specifically psychiatrists, psychologists and, to put it into perspective, child psychiatrists

I would like to ask the Minister, in terms of dealing with medical travel, when we have children that don’t have access to some of these services that we are lacking in the NWT, sometimes our families have to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a new Member, I had the great honour and privilege to be present and participate in the 20th anniversary of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly this past weekend. The event itself and the presence of past Members and staff who attended really put in perspective the great legacy and important work that Members and staff of this House do on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. I would like recognize all the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of all past Members who have paved the way and set the foundation so the present Members can continue...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A lot of our concerns that have come up are from people who work for the GNWT, but I just want to know that in the Medical Travel Policy, would the Minister work with the Department of Human Resources to address these employees of the GNWT get time off, possibly paid time off when they have to escort their family members, children, down south when we don’t have the services up here in the Northwest Territories? Is he willing to work with the Department of Human Resources so that the policy does reflect our GNWT employees and they can get time with pay on these travels...