David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, with regard to the overall budget, there’s a lot of good things in it, but I think we’re losing sight of the reason why governments exist and operate is to provide services to its residents. For myself, that’s one area that I feel that is lacking with regard to this budget. We’ve done a lot of focus around infrastructure, we’ve done a lot of focus around building capacity for governments, government departments, large-scale projects, whether it’s the Deh Cho Bridge or looking at the Taltson project.

Again, I think that fundamentals for government and government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Presently they’re spending about $180,000 in regard to the home boarders. I’m just wondering if that money could be given to the community so they can maybe hire a few extra teachers in those communities to assist these students to keep them in school and get them into the classroom and keep them there to try to salvage the year end. There is money still in the budget no longer being expended. It was for the purpose of home boarding. Can those dollars be reallocated to those communities and get those kids back into school?

Next on the list is Mr. Hawkins.

If the Minister would be seriously considering the cost right now that is being borne by the divisional board of education in Inuvik for home boarding or for a hostel, which is already part of their budget, take those dollars and give it to those communities so the community students don’t have to leave their home communities and put it into those communities so they can hire more teachers.

Next on the list is Mr. Bromley, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have similar concerns in regard to the students in Tsiigehtchic who now are having to go off to get their high school education in Inuvik by way of home boarding.

Mr. Speaker, there was a decision made by the government, I believe in the 12th Assembly, to implement high schools in all communities in the Northwest Territories from K to 12. Yet, Mr. Speaker, almost 20 years later we still haven’t been able to implement that decision made by previous governments. Mr. Speaker, when we have the dropout rates that we’re seeing in regard to home boarding or...

Good day. Welcome to the House. At this time I would like to recognize a former Speaker of the House and also Premier, Minister, Mr. Richard Nerysoo. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of a long-term care facility for Fort McPherson. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 114 signatures of Fort McPherson residents. Mr Speaker, the petition is to request the establishment of a permanent long-term care facility for the hamlet of Fort McPherson.

I request the Premier to do an audit on the Inuvik health board dealing with the community of Tsiigehtchic from the information that was provided by the Minister in which in one year they made 20 visits and they were there for 120 hours. For me, that’s unacceptable. I’d like to know from the Premier if he can tell me exactly how many dollars are being expended on the health operations in the community of Tsiigehtchic out of that $300 million that we’ve spent on behalf of this government, how much is really being spent in communities and not operating a health board, which goes in a deficit...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is being directed to the Premier because I think we’re going to have to have a political decision or political involvement especially from the Executive Council to resolve the outstanding issue in Tsiigehtchic of not having a health provider. I think we’re going on seven years now, yet this has been raised by previous Ministers, it’s been raised by Gwich’in assemblies, it’s been raised at the Beaufort Leaders’ Meeting, motions have been passed. I think, Mr. Speaker, there is a time and place to end the discussion and find a solution to the problem.

Mr...