Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve all heard the concerns raised in media reports this week about cancelled school nutrition programs. On Wednesday I tabled messages from Kaw Tay Whee School students describing how much they need and enjoy the meals and snacks provided at schools. Comments such as “having enough food makes my brain smart so I can learn” state the benefits of this program poignantly and eloquently. When a child says, “I like to eat breakfast,” what do you think that says about whether a child usually gets breakfast?

In every session I’ve spoken on the vital need to concentrate our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report progress. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to start by thanking the chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure for guiding us through consultations on this proposed act. It’s been a huge one, as my colleague Mr. Yakeleya has mentioned. Much bigger than we had expected. I’ve appreciated his guidance and the assistance of our staff. As I believe our chair said, I was very impressed and thankful to all the people of the NWT who took time to participate in those consultations.

We had tremendous turnouts, tremendous and enthusiastic turnouts, passionate presentations, both at...

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Darrell Beaulieu as well, a resident of Weledeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance. The Minister of Finance was complimented at last week’s public meeting on carbon taxation for being the Minister promoting discussion on this opportunity. Three MLAs and three Ministers attended the roundtable to get the facts and they are to be congratulated too. Participation from Finance and Environment and Natural Resources officials added to the discussion. With the Minister’s leadership, this discussion is well underway. Can the Minister say what the next steps will be in pursuing this work? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, change is difficult, but a smart carbon tax will create the economic incentive to take action. Places that have acted have benefited. Like shopping bag fees, the hoopla has disappeared shortly after these changes have been implemented. Let’s get it done. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to thank my colleague, Mr. Ramsay, for bringing this forward. It’s been a disappointment that we haven’t got to this. Early indications from the Ministers involved were that this would be coming forward. They later backed off on that. Apparently we have some limitations in our ability to draft legislation quickly and we certainly do have a lot of legislative needs. I can understand that, but I was, and I know many of our public were, disappointed that those early indications of commitments were not able to be met.

I think this does capture the comments we heard...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to make some very brief comments here. I also would like to give a big nod to the Member for Sahtu for taking the initiative to bring this motion forward.

There is a really key role for elders to play in our schools. I think the Aboriginal achievement programs will recognize that very early on. You don’t have to look beyond the K’alemi Dene School right in Ndilo to see an example with Mrs. Fwasi, 70 years old this year, been in the school for a decade, and there’s a record of achievement there. K’alemi Dene graduated their first grade 12 students this...

Thanks for those comments from the Minister. I appreciate all the work that is being done there and is underway. I’d like to confirm that the Minister’s portfolios are gathering the necessary data we’ll need, recognizing that the NWT is likely a bit different than the rest of the jurisdictions where this has been applied. So we’ll have to customize such a tool to make sure it benefits us to the greatest extent.

So is the Minister ensuring that all the data that will be needed to make good decisions is being collected? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the well-known Dick Abernethy, a Member of the Weledeh riding and the father of my colleague Mr. Abernethy. I’d also like to recognize Weledeh constituent Ryan McCord, a well-known musician and known also for his fearless sky walking at great heights. Also, I’d like to recognize Della Green, the victims services coordinator. Mahsi.