Bill Braden

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue that I would like to raise is directed at the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment as the Member overseeing the Income Support Program, and it relates to the statement I made earlier. With the federal government’s announcement that it intends to flow some fuel or energy rebates to low income families and seniors, we’re told, Mr. Speaker, that $125 will go to individual seniors who qualify for the guaranteed income supplement and $250 will go to seniors who live together as couples. The thing I want to ask about is the money the federal government...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome Mr. Lafferty to the Assembly and express the pleasure that I shared in joining the Tlicho people at their celebration this summer.

Mr. Speaker, just when we thought we were getting back to normal with critical things like the CBC getting back to work and NHL hockey getting back on the ice, we get clobbered in the pocketbook by energy prices that are back on the increase. A litre of gas in Inuvik earlier this summer, my colleague was just telling me, was $1.44; $1.19 here in Yellowknife; a litre of heating oil in Yellowknife just over a buck...

Madam Speaker, those are very valid aspects of providing the service, insurance, jurisdiction and all that other kind of thing. But to the kid out there on the street or the mom and dad who are looking for safe options for their child, it comes across as quite bureaucratic and really the kind of excuses we, unfortunately, can use as a dodge. I don’t think they are acceptable. I would like to ask the Minister will he reconsider all of these kinds of things and look at them in the sense of providing a public service that nobody else can? This is our jurisdiction. Will we put a lifeguard at the...

Madam Speaker, thank you. My other question this afternoon is for Mr. Bell, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. It regards kind of longstanding difficulty that we have had in working out an arrangement with the City of Yellowknife to assist in the provision of lifeguard services at the Long Lake beach. Madam Speaker, summer is nicely on its way, at least here in this part of the territory. I am wondering if the Minister could advise on whether our negotiations or discussions with the city have been successful and will we see lifeguards at the Long Lake beach this summer?...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for Mr. Dent as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it concerns this government’s support, hopefully continuing support, for a pretty important part of infrastructure in this community and that is the building leased to the YWCA, the Rockhill Apartments. Madam Speaker, this houses a number of families and some of them in crisis and on emergency basis and other programs the YWCA provides. The lease that this government has arranged with the Y is coming to an end about two years from now, but it is a very important facility of the Y and...

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. May I, too, add my thanks and my admiration and my congratulations to the community of Hay River for the fantastic job of hosting the track and field competitions.

---Applause

It was a real joy to be there yesterday at the opening ceremonies.

Madam Speaker, earlier today the Premier spoke some remarks and one of them was in respect to our style of government. The Premier said that our style of government is routed in traditional systems of consensus, a foundation of trust, and the aboriginal values of mutual respect and understanding. I hope, Madam Speaker, that I, too...

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

WHEREAS the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has ceased to exist;

AND WHEREAS the departments of Industry, Tourism and Investment and Environment and Natural Resources have been created;

AND WHEREAS the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation has been established to replace the Northwest Territories Development Corporation and the Northwest Territories Business Credit Corporation;

AND WHEREAS standing committees of the Legislative Assembly are given responsibility for the oversight and review of government...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, June 6, 2005, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Rule 85(3) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by striking out “Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development” and substituting “Industry, Tourism and Investment; Environment and Natural Resources"; and further, that Rule 85(3)(a) be amended by striking out “NWT Development Corporation, the Business Credit Corporation” and substituting “Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister is right; we are going into potentially our third year where a major piece of the city’s summer recreational options, especially for families and kids, is not going to be safe. I think it’s truly a shame that between our two governments we can’t arrive at a way to do that. The eventual devolving the ownership and responsibility of the park to the city is a good one, but in the meantime why isn’t it that at least our government can’t take this really important service on? We already look after the rest of the park. Why can’t we roll this into the same...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. Indeed, even with the three-year period left in the existing lease, the Rockhill apartment building, while it’s in reasonable shape for a building its age, there may be some more renovations that are required of it. It takes, as we well know, Madam Speaker, a couple of years to scope these things out, budget for them and get them into our capital planning and budgeting process. So the picture that the YWCA is looking at is for some kind of firm process that they can count on to get this decision made. Will the Minister be working to...