Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I did a Member’s statement on the beluga whales and…(inaudible)...Listening to the CBC report this afternoon, half of the 200 whales are making their way out of Husky Lakes. DFO is apparently watching and monitoring them very closely. Also, subsequently in the report this afternoon the president of hunters and trappers in Tuk indicated that if it comes down to it, if it’s necessary to harvest these beluga whales, that they don’t have the funds to do that. So I’d like to ask the Minister of ENR, will the funds be available at a certain point of...

Thank you, Madam Chair. As the Member that introduced to the Assembly today or a couple of days ago, it was very interesting to hear what the Members here have to say with regard to the bill itself. Like I said earlier, I would like to thank the Electoral Boundaries Commission for coming out with the report on an important bill like this. I respect the Member for Monfwi with regard to his people wanting another seat in Behchoko and also with the recommendation for one in Yellowknife.

However, having said that, Madam Chair, I would just like to let the Members know that I will support the bill...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I am pleased to provide opening comments for Bill 14 on behalf of the Legislative Assembly Board of Management. Bill 14 will amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council to revise the electoral districts of the Northwest Territories. The bill proposes changes to the electoral boundaries in the communities of Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife, while maintain the status quo in the remaining eight constituencies. Bill 14 does not propose any increase to the number of MLAs in the Legislative Assembly.

Madam Chair, on May 30th, 2006, the report of the...

Thank you. I would like to thank the Minister for his response. I will contact the HDC, but my understanding is that they are aware that they were supposed to at least get another 25 freezers over the summer. In that regard, I would like to ask the Minister, once that is done, when will the freezers be sent to Paulatuk? Will it be over the summer or will it be this winter? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on my tour of Paulatuk on September 13th, 2006, I had an opportunity to speak with the mayor, who is also the resource person for the Paulatuk Hunters' and Trappers' Committee. Mr. Speaker, I was informed that many of the residents had stored their traditional food at the local community freezer after a successful spring and fall hunt. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, the Paulatuk Hunters' and Trappers' Committee had a refrigerator repairman travel to Paulatuk to conduct what was thought to be a minor repair to the local community freezer. Mr. Speaker, it...

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. The weather is kind of getting cool right now, so right now I think they are pretty safe, but I would like to make sure that these people in Paulatuk not lose that subsistence they got like this past fall and summer. So I would like to try to get the freezers down here either by airplane or can that happen, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke with regard to the community freezer in Paulatuk and also I applaud the Department of ITI in regard to sending their 25 freezers down in 2005-06. When we were having a meeting in Lutselk’e on a retreat, I did talk to the Minister briefly about getting more freezers for Paulatuk. At that time, he was going to confirm it. So I would like to ask the Minister. Why weren’t these freezers sent to Paulatuk this summer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I make my statement, I'd like to send out a birthday wish to my son Darren John Pokiak who turned 19 yesterday.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the need for RCMP presence in Sachs Harbour again. I know this has been going on for a long and I'm still going to pursue it for the presence of RCMP in Sachs Harbour.

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to travel with the Honourable Brendan Bell and his staff and also the RCMP to Sachs Harbour in late June of this year. At that time, Mr. Speaker, there was a public meeting where the Minister heard...