Brendan Bell

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do appreciate that it costs more to locate business in the North, the overhead is more expensive, it costs more to use northern plumbers, to use northern electricians if you are in the construction business. We do appreciate it, we do think it is very important. As I have said before, Mr. Speaker, the difficult challenge put to Cabinet was to deliver the most cost-effective housing in small communities who desperately need it, and for that, in weighing the balance we chose that at this point and in this instance that was the utmost priority and that is why we...

Mr. Speaker, North American Occupational Safety and Health Week will be held from May 2nd to 8th of this year. The goal is to focus the attention of employers, workers, the general public and all partners in occupational safety and health on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace and at home. North American Occupational Safety and Health Week was first launched in June 1997 marked by an agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

For many years, responsibility for Occupational Safety and Health Week related activities in the North fell to the Workers’...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. David Ramsay on March 29, 2004, regarding government investment into the northern manufacturing industry over the last 10 years.

The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has a number of programs that support manufacturing in the NWT. The business development fund provides contributions to a variety of businesses for a wide range of needs. The BDF contributions, plus additional Ministers' contributions, in the amount of almost $4 million have been provided since 1995 to businesses...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, certainly, and I know the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation presented us with some information. We have acknowledged that it was done on the best-case or worst-case scenario basis. We can’t know what the true cost would have been because we don’t know what the outcome of the tender would be. But I will certainly bring forward the points that the Member has made here today to our discussion at Cabinet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to thank the Member for her continued support of northern business. I think that’s very important, and I think it is important for the entire government and this legislature to make sure that that is a priority.

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The Member does know that the genesis for this program was in the last Assembly. Much of this work and much of the program was quite far down the pipe. So the decision to engage in stick built versus mobile homes was not the nature of our discussions. Our discussion surrounded how to move forward since this decision had...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly continue to support northern manufacturing, will continue to do that, our department continues to do that, this entire government continues to do that. I think that in the specific case of this contract, I illustrated the factors that we had to weigh and balance. In making this determination, we were cognizant of the fact that this was a $2.3 million contract for this year out of a $32 million capital budget for the Housing Corporation, and we were hopeful that northern companies would still compete, would still submit bids. It sounds like 17 northern...

Thank you. I believe that there will be a chance in phase two for all residents to bring forward their significant concerns and I will acknowledge that the concerns of Hay River may not be identical to the concerns of other communities. There are going to be issues specific in nature, but they won’t be from left field. They are going to involve business opportunities, employment opportunities, environmental impacts and those sorts of things. I think the broadest categories of issues are being documented at this point. There will be plenty of room. As well, I’m certain that our department or...

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important to keep in mind that the board is simply going around to assess whether or not there is significant public concern and, if so, that would trigger the joint panel review. I think we probably all know that phase of the review is inevitable. This preliminary screening and work that they’re doing now is just to confirm and hear from some of the people in the Northwest Territories what those concerns might be. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take this opportunity to update this House on the implementation of the Waste Reduction and Recovery Act.

As Members are aware, the legislation to enable the development and implementation of waste recovery programs was passed by the 14th Legislative Assembly in October 2003. The new act establishes a framework for waste reduction programs and provides for the formation of a Waste Reduction and Recovery Advisory Committee. This committee will play a vital role in the establishment and operation of waste recovery programs developed by this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the determination is made by the Housing Corporation that a two-week extension would not cause us any problems in our ability to still get housing on the ground, and would not mean that we would miss deadlines, would not mean that we would miss the ferry season, and would not mean that we would jeopardize putting new housing which will be very valuable to the communities who are awaiting this and desperately need this, and I would say are anticipating this eagerly, if there was no concern about deadlines then the Housing Corporation will come forward and make that...