Bill Braden

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to speak in favour of this amendment. I think the proposal to adjust the fund is prudent business management on the part of the FMBS. From the information provided, I think the new ceiling or floor of $1 million, given the scale and the size of accounts in the number of communities we serve, is a good piece of work. I am happy to see this and I will be voting for it.

In the midst of such a volatile petroleum pricing environment as we have right now, I would want to ask the Minister or his officials if there is any extra concern. There are some forecasts...

Mr. Speaker, in the meantime, I’m not going to be able to keep my money. I’m going to have to give my money to the government while efforts go on to set up a way to return it. Mr. Speaker, how does the government square this? How does it justify proceeding in these smallest communities where the cost is the highest, with taking this deposit but not having a way of returning it? Justify that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this morning are for Mr. Miltenberger as the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, and they concern the Beverage Container Recovery Program, Mr. Speaker, something which this legislature has been working on for a number of years and really with anticipation for the November 1st implementation. However, it has stayed on the radar screen and, unfortunately, not with such a high degree of anticipation. Among a number of issues that continue to dog this program is the realization that now within about two-and-a-half weeks of the implementation, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I speak in favour of the bill and all the amendments. I believe there are some aspects of administration or understanding in here that can be resolved if they’re not already, you know, the resolution is already in the body of the act and the conduct of senior officers and administrators in the department and at the municipal level. I guess the kind of points my colleagues have raised have had a pretty good discussion here, and I think are indeed manageable.

I just have one question for clarification, and it relates to this condition whereby tax-based municipalities can...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The PPD serves 15 communities today. How many of those are resupplied by barge or summer resupply only, and how many are winter resupplied? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That satisfies my curiosity here.

No problem. To clause 7, which specifies that the Liquor Board may make regulations prescribing the hours and days of a licensed premises, I would like to ask what kind of circumstance or condition gave rise to the requirement to amend or adjust the board’s authority here.

Mr. Speaker, the RMCP is demonstrating quite a refreshing attitude toward being more connected with the community in the delivery of community priorities for policing. I wonder if the department has been looking at the Police Advisory Committee model that just started here as a way of potentially assisting other communities in the NWT to have a better connection with policing in their community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the aspects of enhanced policing -- and the Minister quite appropriately said we are looking for services across the NWT -- is the provision in the NWT of a specially trained dog in the area of drug detection that would be based in Yellowknife and would be available for increased enforcement. Can the Minister advise whether this is part of the business plan and part of the service we can expect to see on site here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many community organizations are working together to deal with family violence and drug issues. The Crack Busters program has the Tree of Peace and Salvation Army behind it. We have the Citizens on Patrol. We have the Community Wellness Coalition. Mr. Speaker, the message here is that there are community solutions to community problems if citizens take action, like constituents calling the RCMP. There are frontline service organizations, and I would certainly say there are MLAs to help get action. The message is we do not have to and we will not put up with drugs and...