Bob Bromley

Is the budget for this particular item $1.2 million or $991,000?

Thank you, committee. We will do that. First we’ll take a break.

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I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us, committee, three tabled documents: Tabled Documents 7-16(6), 8-16(6) and 9-16(6). What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

I’m certain that nobody here is a stranger to that 30 minute trip into Edmonton from the International Airport. Many of us have probably experienced the fog conditions, the snowstorm conditions, this sort of thing. Can the Minister say whether the report he’s had on this takes into account the impact of those sorts of conditions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the Edmonton Municipal Airport closure. I have questions of detail regarding the closure and the routing medevac flights through the International. I have been informed that the original deeding of airport lands to the municipality was made with a caveat that the lands could not be used other than as an airport. Since the issue of the municipality’s discretion to make this change is fundamental to this issue, will the Minister direct staff to confirm whether in fact this was the case? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ENR and having to do with the Wildlife Act. Hopefully, we will be moving this bill into the House, but it is a huge bill and there are big changes...

That response is pitiful. We have people out there, having babies, that are demanding this service. To take four years to do this, Mr. Speaker, is, well, unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, we need to get on with this. The Minister could take a page from her colleague, the Minister of ITI, who designed a film industry review with the full participation of industry in devising the terms of reference, participation from the ground up. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to including the informed and committed midwifery advocates and an early start on terms of reference for this analysis? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Minister has responded in writing to my previous oral questions on midwifery and the answers are not inspiring. The reply says, “analysis to develop an expanded NWT model of midwifery care will be undertaken in 2011-12.” Unfortunately, the exact same promise precisely mirrors a November 9, 2009, letter from the department’s deputy minister. That work was to be completed in three weeks, Mr. Speaker.

When is the Minister going to get serious on this? Is the work starting now? Next month? When is the work...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to speak briefly today to the principles upon which this bill is founded. First I want to recognize the long and complex process that has resulted in this bill’s presentation to the Assembly. The bill makes an effort to address and incorporate the new realities, not so new really, of constitutional and treaty rights of Aboriginal citizens with a new law reflecting the direction of constructive court decision. There has been earnest effort here and the Minister needs to be congratulated for pursuing the need to modernize our legislation. However, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The key window of opportunity to feed the bodies and minds of our children and to support their brain development and their learning is their early years. The parents have a responsibility to feed their children properly, but as I have outlined in the House earlier and in my statements, they are not always able to meet that responsibility and there are many reasons for that. Do we want to let the children suffer the lifelong consequences of insufficient nutrition during their critical years, Mr. Speaker? Unfortunately, our lack of government action in response to...