David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think my question is better presented to the Premier, so I will ask the Premier the question in regard to my Member’s statement.

Mr. Speaker, in regard to statistics that I received at the conference that we held on poverty, it clearly states that the communities I represent, such as Aklavik, where we have 45 percent of the income levels per household is under $30,000, and in Fort McPherson it’s 43 percent. Also, households under $10,000, it’s 16 percent for Aklavik and 11 percent for Fort McPherson. I’m just looking at the unemployment statistics for Fort McPherson...

Mr. Chairman, we do spend millions of dollars in correctional facilities. I notice that we are looking at more money going into correctional facilities. I think that we have to reprofile those dollars to make use of those facilities that are useable.

Like I mentioned, the healing camps. We are also looking at alternative means of having people that basically have minor offences, that they don’t have to serve their time, taking them out of the communities, find a way that they can serve their time in our communities than having all of these expenditures made to fly these people out; court costs...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to community justice and corrections, one thing that we’ve been pushing for years from a community perspective is having more say in the judicial process, but more importantly, finding ways instead of incarcerating people in large facilities, to start looking at community-based justice programs and incarcerating people closer to their homes, either on-the-land programs or also working with community justice committees in regard to having community sentencing circles. I’d just like to know where is the community involvement when it comes to community justice...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is around the area of capital with regard to fire equipment and making sure people are equipped to do their job. More importantly, we had an instance here in Yellowknife where two firefighters lost their lives. There was a major review done on that through the Workers’ Compensation Board. There was, basically, an injunction filed against the City of Yellowknife because of the incident, and there were a whole bunch of recommendations that came out of that inquiry. I think, if anything, we should learn from that and make sure that we do give those...

Again, in closing, this is more than just a dust problem; it’s a quality of life issue for our communities. I think that the communities that have had an opportunity to see the chipseal laid in our communities have seen the improvement in the quality of life in those communities. It also deals with the area of cleanliness and the ability for people to walk up and down the streets without having to worry about mud, dust, and being covered in those types of materials due to road traffic. I’d just like to ask the Minister that we don’t go back to the drawing board.

Like I said earlier, there was a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question to the Minister is in the area of a study that was done a number of years ago by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs with regard to dust control alternatives. A cost-benefit analysis was done in 2005 by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Back then, during the 14th Assembly, one of the big issues for the small communities was dealing with the area of dust control. Today we still have that same problem in our communities, especially when we talk about the health of our communities and the well-being of people in those communities.

I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully within the remaining year left in this government, we are really able to make a difference in our communities. More importantly, we have to use the tools we have at hand. We have policies in place. We have negotiated contracting guidelines. We have initiatives to stimulate our communities. I believe we have to formulate these partnerships, because the communities are trying to do their part, whether it is the band councils, the hamlet councils, the local government authorities, because they realize the importance of jobs in our communities. Can we get some...

Mr. Speaker, I think one of the biggest factors in the Northwest Territories is we haven’t really made the decision to deregulate government and put government positions in the communities and keep them there and fill those positions. Mr. Speaker, there are some 5,000 positions in the Government of the Northwest Territories which could be put to communities regardless of expanding our programs and services officer positions, wildlife officers, departments such as forestry or looking at areas in regard to the economic development positions in our regions, housing positions at regional centres...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the elements that they talk about in the agreement is the whole area of distribution of royalty wealth of which 25 percent is going to aboriginal organizations in the Northwest Territories. The other 75 percent is going to the Government of the Northwest Territories. Those governments represent 50 percent of the population of the Northwest Territories and they represent 27 communities. I’d like to know if we have looked at the possibility of seeing how this arrangement is being divvied up and will we consider reallocation of that formula so that it’s more...

In the letter there are several items, six items which were part of the media release that came out yesterday. I’d like to ask the Premier, has your department taken into consideration these six elements that were in the letter in regard to the negotiation of the devolution process and were they even brought to the negotiating table.