Thanks to the comments from the Premier. A sad state of affairs indeed.

In changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act under the new omnibus bill, 45, I understand Canada removed environmental protection on all but 97 major lakes and 62 rivers. Even some heritage rivers have had their protection yanked. Environmental review would no longer be required for any dam, road crossing, pipeline, mine, or bridge affecting water bodies not on that specific list. Reviews will be the responsibility of provinces except here, which is federal. We have that many lakes and rivers in the Weledeh riding...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to acknowledge and congratulate my constituent Michael Gilday, a member of the four-person team achieving a new world record in the qualifying rounds of the men’s 5,000-metre speed skating relay.

Competing at the International Skating Union World Cup in Calgary this weekend, Michael Gilday and his teammates, Charles Hamelin, Francois Hamelin and Oliver Jean, set the record at six minutes and 32.909 seconds. The team finished with a Bronze Medal in the final 5,000-metre relay race Sunday night. Gilday also finished Friday with a Silver Medal in the 1,000-metre...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In honour of Small Business Week, I want to salute the local enterprises that are the basis of a stable and sustainable economy. Weledeh riding, as Members know, is not only the birthplace of Yellowknife’s small businesses, it remains the most diverse and vibrant small business centre of all ridings.

How so? It’s the cradle of our local aviation industry, today including Air Tindi, Arctic Sunwest, and individual operators. East Arm Freighting continues the vital barging business while Aurora Geoscience serves the mineral exploration industry. Deton Cho provides general...

I appreciate the Minister’s offer. I wonder, if he could, what he would suggest to move this forward. Obviously, the community is concerned about it. I’ve brought it to the Minister’s attention and the Minister agrees that it is a concern. How can we get this done?

That’s it. I appreciate the Minister’s offer. Thank you.

That’s good. I think I’m finally seeing some light here. Does the Minister have any idea what the first bit of capital construction, what size of project we’re talking about here for ’14-15?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So we completed the technical and operational. We are now in block planning. I am not familiar with that term, but I am assuming it has something to do with the layout of where particular aspects of medical care are delivered that are related to each other and so on in the hospital. Was it a Class B design? I missed the letter on the class of design where we are at. I understand we are looking for a Class B estimate. Maybe they are different before we go ahead.

The last part that I am a little bit unsure of is the intent for the following year to actually start...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just had a couple of questions on the plans for Stanton Territorial Hospital. This is my sixth year as MLA and we have been planning for this facility every year that I have been here. I am wondering what exactly we are proposing to plan in 2013-14, our sixth year of planning. What plans are completed? What plans are left yet to be done before we actually start to put boots on the ground to give this really keystone health facility for the NWT health system the comprehensive renovation that it so clearly and desperately needs? Thank you.

Thanks again to the Premier. An even sadder state of affairs indeed. Apparently we are expected to pass mirror legislation to adopt the federal regime as our own at the time of devolution and will be resourced just for those responsibilities, is my understanding. So here again the federal government is ransacking the environmental protection regime in anticipation of devolution without our input or approval, leaving us to try and shore up the regime later with our own resources.

Can the Premier remind me why devolution is a good deal and what resources we’re going to use to bring environmental...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier following up on questions that I had during the spring session and are with regard to the changes in federal laws, environmental laws in particular. I had previously asked the Premier questions on the major changes underway in that area – withdrawal of habitat protection in the Fisheries Act, collapse of our regional land and water boards into one, creation of artificial mandatory deadlines for completion of assessments, and so on. The Premier said he had belatedly written the feds inquiring about the Fisheries Act changes, but I’ve...