With the myriad of programs and services that we deliver, generally we take into account a number of different features. For example, population is a very important component of any program delivery. For example, Education, they tried to tie their funding to the number of students, parent/student ratios. The Department of Health has a compendium of care, and depending on the population, if we have very small communities we can’t always have a nurse in every community. Some programs are tied to each other. Generally we don’t send nurses where there are no RCMP officers. Those kinds of things.

We...

Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows, we always listen to suggestions from the other side, and we are able to do so again. I just need to know what it is that you are proposing. We can’t manage through press releases, so we would need something more definitive. The Member knows the process. We don’t respond to a single MLA. I think we would need a request from the committee. Obviously, if the committee requests us to seek this from the federal government and the committee supports it, we will do it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled “What We Heard About…Land is Life: Towards the GNWT Land Use and Sustainability Framework, May 2013.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In Inuvik, just for clarification, we are undertaking a pilot project for our own purposes. It’s for our own NTPC power plant in Inuvik. The results of the pilot project can be used in the Northwest Territories, so whatever we learn there we can apply anywhere in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are working with the community to address these energy problems. Obviously, we are cooperating in every way possible. As the Member knows, Imperial Oil has advised the town, for commercial businesses they will no longer supply natural gas after June 2013 and for residential consumers they will stop in June 2014. So the Government of the Northwest Territories is taking steps to convert all their facilities and take them off natural gas, except for the NWT Power Corporation who will continue to receive gas to generate electricity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to update the people of the Northwest Territories about the Government of the Northwest Territories Land Use and Sustainability Framework.

A healthy, well-managed environment sustains all of our people and is the foundation for a healthy life. The land nourishes us and is the driving force of our economy. Following our historic debate and vote on the devolution motion yesterday, we will have enhanced decision-making power to manage land, develop the economy, and protect the environment. A Land Use and Sustainability Framework will guide the Government of the Northwest...

We’re prepared to assist in the same way that we assisted in Inuvik.

The Department of MACA is providing the town with funding so they can hire a program manager. The town has also engaged a consultant to convert to synthetic natural gas. As a government, based on our experience and working with the town of Inuvik, we think it’s getting late into the game. There’s less than a year before the residents will no longer have natural gas. The expectation is that the residents will be able to use their existing facilities to use synthetic natural gas, but there is some preparation that’s needed that we experienced in Inuvik, so we are going to work with them to make...

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the 62nd wedding anniversary of my in-laws, Fred and Berna Mandeville. Fred and Berna were married in Fort Resolution on April 13, 1951, so Friday the 13th is lucky after all. They have 12 children, of whom my wife, Melody, is the eldest. Fred and Berna live in Hay River and, at the young ages of 80 and 82, live on their own and continue to spend time at their cabin at Buffalo River whenever they can.

Their wedding was supposed to be a double wedding with George and Rosa Fabien. However, the 13th happened to be on a Friday, so George and Rosa decided...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Members, for your comments here today. It is clear that each of us cares deeply about the future of this territory.

We have a chance to make history here. For all my life, critical decisions about what happens in this territory have been made by the federal government. When I was born in Fort Providence, the Territorial Council, the forerunner to this Legislative Assembly, was still based in Ottawa, and included five appointed Members and only three elected representatives.

Times have changed. There are 19 of us now, responsible for our own budget of...