Bob Bromley

Not surprisingly, that failed to answer the question.

Does the Premier realize that the representative of the World Wildlife Fund of Canada is a 40-year resident of the Northwest Territories and that the previous representative is a long-term resident who has retired and currently lives on the land well away from any community in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions have to do with the Premier’s statements in his recent press release on the World Wildlife Fund’s role in conservation. Does the Premier realize that the World Wildlife Fund has been a key partner, working with all of our communities — closely with all of our communities — for many years in the development and implementation of the NWT Protected Areas Strategy?

…but certainly not all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I understand that you'll get me the information on how many units we have land secured for this year out of 174. Are things looking better for next year, and do we see an end to this issue in the near future? Or is this going to be an ongoing situation?

This is very good actually to hear the Premier actually speak to the issue, finally.

Does the Premier acknowledge that organizations that partner with our communities and work with them have something to contribute sometimes, especially when they’re supported by a regional planning process, the Arctic Council and the majority of Canadians?

It’s good to know the Premier is aware of that contribution.

Does the Premier also realize that his press release totally ignored the point that the World Wildlife Fund was raising while simply focusing on writing off the World Wildlife Fund of Canada as a southern organization?

I don’t know whether I’m his constituent or he’s mine, but I’d like to recognize Chief Stanley Sanguez.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. World Wildlife Fund of Canada, a long-term northern conservation partner, has been attacked by Inuvialuit leaders and, most disturbingly, by our own Premier. The attacks are based on false premises and completely ignore the point — a valid point, I might add. World Wildlife Fund of Canada has called for a postponement of the lease sale in the Beaufort until a comprehensive measurement plan is available for the region and the capability is in place to quickly clean up oil spills.

Mr. Speaker, planning is as yet unfinished in the conservation of the Beaufort. In fact, the...

Mr. Chair, I’m assuming that means the remaining staff will shoulder the workload of the two staff that are being cut, the two staff that currently deliver these sex offender programs. I highly suspect that other staff that already — I would assume — have lots of other responsibilities won't be able to efficiently deliver these programs — efficiently and effectively. Again, it’s clear that the people of the Northwest Territories — and, certainly, people on this side of the House — believe that more programming is needed rather than less.

I’d like to know how the department has concluded that...

Mr. Speaker, government’s commitment to building a new dementia centre is a good thing, but our government must recognize that forced-growth costs accumulate for non-government organizations just as much as they do for government. We’ve seen very significant forced-growth figures for government operations in the budget before us today. Putting these same costs on the backs of non-government organizations is hardly fair.

If this government can wipe out over $11 million in over-expenditures for one institution in Yellowknife — albeit not lightly done — surely they can look after this modest...