Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask questions of the Minister of ECE today. A motion was passed in the Assembly, a previous Assembly, calling on the Minister of ECE to reinstate the policy of sponsoring a placement in the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine. As I explained at that time, we have an ideal NWT-born, trained and committed candidate coming forward for application to that program. The Minister said he would ensure consideration of reinstatement of this sponsorship in the current review of the Student Financial Assistance Program. I’d just like to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the House considers the issue of bullying, I want to ensure we consider the postnatal, the preschool and early childhood development aspects of prevention. Based on evolving studies, educators strongly urge that bullying and peer-directed aggression be tackled early in the child’s life. The suggestions make sense. Home life, child care and preschool set the tone to a child’s future perception of school and community, one that can persist throughout the child’s entire school career and life.

Bullying can be aggravated if a disconnection occurs between home and school...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the comments from all Members of the Legislative Assembly here today. Basically in summary, we have exceptionally high rates of addictions in the Northwest Territories. Our current programs have stagnated, but we need a practical approach. This program draws on the tried and true buddy system, it’s community-based, it allows us to work together, it recognizes the high costs of addictions in terms of human health, correctional and community costs and so on. It’s a priority of this Assembly and it’s a step toward addictions-free communities. This is only one...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS enhancing addictions treatment programs has been identified as one of the Believing in People and Building on the Strengths of Northerners priorities of the 17th Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS Northwest Territories rates of substance abuse are among the highest in Canada and clearly related to and aggravated by equally high rates of major negative social indicators, and that police report substance abuse as a factor in more than 90 percent of complaints;

AND WHEREAS an innovative addictions treatment approach was piloted in Old Crow, Yukon, in 2004-2005 with a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of the timely action NWT-wide with anti-bullying measures. I want to begin by thanking my colleagues Mr. Dolynny and Mr. Yakeleya for their good work putting an excellent motion together. I’d also like to thank Ms. Bisaro for excellent work in coordinating our work to profile this issue in the House today.

I appreciate all the comments in our Members’ statements and here in support of the motion from my colleagues. I think they were very informed, passionate and often experiential. So people are going right out there. I think this is a straightforward...

My questions are directed to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and it’s on the availability of agricultural lands.

What is the amount of land leased for commercial agricultural use according to total area, number of parcels and average size of a parcel?

What work is underway to evaluate and inventory land that could be offered for commercial agricultural use?

What activities is the department carrying out, including working with municipalities, to increase the amount of agricultural land available and to promote the commercial development and productive use of agricultural land...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, this is a very different situation than the Minister has portrayed here. All those careers don’t require a seat at a university. Anybody with basic education can get in for lawyers and so on. This is a veterinarian seat. There are extremely huge schools in Canada and you need an established seat to get into that program. Obviously, we have a desperate need for veterinarians. Does the Minister agree that this is a bit of an exception compared to the normal professions that we’d like to see our students go into as well?

Thank you. Of course, that was well known. The motion passed in the House was well after 2008, so the Minister will be aware of that. I’m talking about a veterinarian seat here, not a veterinarian’s assistant. So whilst this student assistance review is underway and will be considered in next year’s budget, this candidate has given us three years’ advanced notice to come up with this support, and there’s obviously a desperate need for a veterinarian across the NWT and it’s been well established. So I guess I’d like to just start by asking the Minister if he does agree that there is a desperate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is indeed a great pleasure to have young people in the House today. An extra energy to enjoy here. I’d like to recognize a couple of Weledeh residents. Miss Aurora Nind – Aurora, if you could stand up – and Miss Thea Guy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I moved this motion because I believe the program described is too good an idea to ignore. Debates in this Assembly in recent days, throughout our term to date, and throughout the previous term indicated the priority placed upon effectively treating the plague of substance abuse that causes such sorrow to our people and harm to our economy and cultures.

Combating addictions is a specific action item in the Believing in People and Building on the Strength of Northerners priorities adopted by the 17th Assembly. This program approach appears to offer an opportunity to...