Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Justice, recognizing that the issue of family violence has to be dealt with across many departments. As I noted, the numbers speak to a dreadful situation of family violence and suffering in our communities: 223 family violence cases; 483 children witnesses; the second highest rate of family violence in the country and so on. The need for action is clear and desperate. Will the Minister of Justice commit to making action on family violence one of his foremost program priorities, and implement a plan to carry out the 19 recommendations...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On April 11th the NWT coroner issued her report on the tragic death of Alice Black in February of 2009. Out of respect for Alice Black and all our victims of family violence, we mustn’t let that report pass without comment.

The report details a horrific sequence of events leading to the brutal homicide of Ms. Black. In her comments and recommendations, Coroner Cathy Menard pointed out the devastating impact of family violence on people and communities, but said it is largely preventable using interventions developed in many northern communities. Ms. Black’s case, the...

One specific: Did they replace the prehistoric computer system?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Minister for these opening remarks. I guess the first item for me is the incredible $15.6 million of taxpayers’ money being added to the NWT Power Corporation, piled on already tens of millions of dollars in support of their general rate application. I guess this relates to the work done in the 16th Assembly on electricity rate reviews. At least two Members of this Assembly in the House today said that there would be a price shock if we went ahead with the source of recommendations, I guess you would call them, that they came out with in the 16th Assembly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on the questions by my colleagues on the Deh Cho Bridge and ask questions of the Minister of Transportation.

I’d like to start by saying that I agree that his project has been an unmitigated disaster from the get-go, and there are some good reasons for that, and we have now, as a House, put in place some policies that will help guard, to some degree, against future recurrences. I’d like to start with ATCON, the original contractor. Can the Minister assure me that we are completely severed now and there are no ongoing unresolved claims with ATCON...

Thanks for the comments from the Premier. The point being here, the residents of the Northwest Territories, perhaps rationally in the mind of the Premier, would like input on this. That’s a big decision and a decision that’s made on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. I’d say it’s very irresponsible not to go to our people and have their input on that, especially as this government is on record, as are our partner governments at all levels, at criticizing the federal land management regime. Thank you.

The $3,000 subsidy for the previous two years has been discontinued, and that was a business subsidy, I believe. That’s been discontinued. Was that a one-time thing just for those two years? Thank you.

Thanks for that information. I appreciate that. I know the Minister is aware that there is quite a range across communities and if it happens that we can focus on those with the greatest interest and concern, that would be great. Just one specific, I know my community of Detah did express an interest to the interim Minister of Health and Social Services for a presentation with respect to this. I don’t know whether this Minister has had a chance to follow up, but hopefully that didn’t fall through the cracks. I just thought I’d mention that.

I guess, just sort of continuing on a similar vein...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to ask: Indicators of what, basically, on this one? It’s apparently an interim expenditure, but quite high compared to the last time we spent money on this and we’re working on baseline indicators, but I have no idea what baseline indicators of what. Thank you.

My original question was: Are we part of the western provinces bulk purchasing deal? I assume they have a bulk purchasing deal that deals with more than one drug, but I would also be interested in what our savings are with the one drug the Minister mentioned.