Bob Bromley

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think this is an extremely important topic here. The Minister says we are not able to discuss what will happen with these critical, important programs that this House has approved as priorities and put in place in this first quarter of the next fiscal year, and yet we are approving 33 percent or, actually, more of the budget, or well over a quarter of the budget, about a third for those three months.

In this budget that we are approving, it is simply a mirror of last year’s, and during last year’s budget those dollars were intended to serve the priorities and programs...

I guess I’d like to know a little more specifically than that. There was actually four. I will mention them again. There’s the child and family services community committees; we’ve committed to getting five of those up and running this fiscal year. I’m assuming that’s going to happen and that we will continue that work. Obviously, we want one in every community. What is the goal for the first quarter that we’re confirming a budget for here with the child and family services committee?

The second one is the early childhood development review that’s being done and I believe should be completed –...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a number of comments. I guess I’d like to put them forward in terms of questions. Do we want to start with witnesses?

Thank you. I appreciate the Minister’s response. The next question I have is enforcement. Again I am astounded that a department with the responsibility of regulating land use has essentially no familiarity with the land and admits it, and they’re responsible for regulation and they admit they have no capacity and yet they propose no remedy. Or at least I have not heard one so far. At the same time, MACA is proposing to double a number of leases here and the past leases are in complete disarray in terms of any adherence to regulations. We lack the enforcement. So why is the Minister proposing...

I appreciate the Minister’s response. On the migratory bird side of things, I think the hope of Environment Canada is that they would continue with an operating standards approach rather than having to permit things, but apparently there have been enough problems with jurisdictions that they are now contemplating a requirement for permits and so on, so they can have a more hands-on management of that. So I think there is an opportunity here to adhere to this and avoid that sort of more onerous situation.

With the Detah road, I realize it’s a capital project and I was really wondering if there...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again to the Minister. I know that he’s onto this. Finally, in the consultation aspect of it, obviously we need to produce products that meet the needs of our sales outlets. In developing any training program we need to start modestly, perhaps one or two artists from each region or something, as the Minister said. Will the department include consultations with the retailers and wholesalers so that skills can be developed to produce a range of products that are relevant and well designed for the marketplace? Mahsi.

I look to the Aurora College calendar and I see a traditional arts program which offers a three-month hands-on course providing the skills to create and market high quality Aboriginal arts and crafts for local, national and international markets, so again, I see an opportunity here for a similar diamond jewellery program, and apparently the Minister does too. I’m glad to hear it. I appreciate that support.

Will the Minister commit to working with his colleague, the Minister of ECE, perhaps including inquiries of Harry Winston Diamonds on the development of a diamond jewellery skills program...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our overall approach to development of a secondary diamond manufacturing industry has missed the opportunity to tap into the amazing artistry of our people. By pouring millions into a northern diamond cutting and polishing industry, we’ve gone head to head with global producers. Their competitive advantage of rock-bottom wage rates and established expertise has proven difficult to beat. In contrast, we have a strong local, regional and national market for art, foreign tourists looking for northern-made, authentic NWT souvenirs and a motherlode of talented but untapped...

That right-of-way clearing would be after the breeding season for migratory birds, of course. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have two points I would like to raise with the Department of Transportation. The first one involves an activity of your department that includes destruction of migratory birds and their habitat, which is illegal against the International Migratory Bird Treaty that Canada has signed with the United States. I think that is well known by the department. The Environment Canada I believe has tried working with standards for provinces and territories on when they should do right-of-way clearing to avoid the destruction of migratory birds and their habitat. It is a seasonal...