Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I would like to express our appreciation for the work that has been done by Mr. Nick Falvo and the fact that his research is bringing attention to the issue.

As a government, we have been working on a Shelter Policy review. Our decision on whether to form a homelessness secretariat will be done in conjunction with the recommendations of the Shelter Policy review and our response to those recommendations. By all means, when we complete the Shelter Policy review and it recommends that we have a homelessness secretariat, we would certainly look at doing so. Thank...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Michael Miltenberger will be absent from the House today to host a dignitary visit by the Governor General of Canada in Fort Smith. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess I look at the territorial facilities that have been established here in Yellowknife, facilities such as the Bailey House and so on, and also the Betty House that is in the planning stages, and our own homelessness policies that allow us to address the problem on a going forward basis.

As far as standards, I believe that all of those facilities meet those standards. I would be quite prepared to work to have our Health and Social Services and Housing Corporation look at the standards. I think the Salvation Army facility looks like a very fine facility. I guess they don’t want to leave...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Homelessness is becoming an issue that is starting to be pervasive almost throughout the Northwest Territories. We just recently received the Falvo report. I believe it was only released about two weeks ago. This is an issue that we plan to address. It’s not something that there’s a silver bullet that we can resolve the problem overnight. As the Member stated, it involves a number of departments. We also have to involve the NGOs. The efforts that have been undertaken here in Yellowknife have resulted in Yellowknife becoming almost a leading player in how to deal with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can only speak to what I heard and the honourable Member is now changing his definition of a crime against society. He took a very broad brush and lumped us all in there, and now he’s trying to say there are different shades or different definitions of crime against humanity, and I think if you’re going to use inflammatory phrases like he did, I guess he should expect that he will get the same kind.

I think that to now try to change what he meant by using those very offensive words of “crimes against humanity,” to say he didn’t want to include war criminals and he only...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to recognize four special ladies today. First of all our new president of the Northwest Territories Status of Women Council representing the Deh Cho region, Tina Gargan.

Also Georgina Jacobson-Masuzumi, a board member with the NWT Status of Women Council from the Beaufort-Delta. I think you know her, Mr. Speaker.

Lorraine Phaneuf, executive director, Northwest Territories Status of Women Council.

And Gail Cyr, special advisor to the Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Tina Gargan as the president of the Status of Women Council Board. Ms. Gargan is serving her second term on the council as the Deh Cho representative. She is a recipient of the 2006 Wise Women Award, fluent in her own language, the recently acclaimed mayor of Fort Providence and a proud mother of two children.

She will be joined by the new representative for the Sahtu, Ms. Pauline Roche, and the new representative for the South Slave, Ms. Doris Camsell. I welcome them to the board and thank them for accepting this important role.

I...

Your Excellencies, colleagues, leaders, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories, I would like to thank you and Mrs. Johnston for visiting the Legislative Assembly and our territory.

As Premier of the Northwest Territories and on behalf of all of those gathered here today, I would like to wish you all the very best for your visit to this unique region of Canada, fundamental to this country’s past and its future.

We have a rich and diverse heritage, the heritage that is reflected here today and the circle of leaders that you see before you...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jackson Lafferty will be absent from the House today for a portion of the proceedings to participate in the Governor General’s official opening of the new Hunters of the Alpine Ice Exhibition at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centres. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was offended, I guess, when Mr. Bromley lumped us all together as being somebody like Hitler or Pol Pot or General Radek because he doesn’t like our Greenhouse Gas Policy. I think if he doesn’t like our policy, I’m sure he could have voiced his displeasure in other ways rather than likening us to some of these despots that have murdered millions of people.

On that note, I think that’s very inflammatory language and goes against the rules of this House.