David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses.

I would like now to open the floor for general comments on Bill 7. Does the committee agree that no further general comments are needed and we can go clause by clause to review Bill 7? Members may note that Bill 7 consists of 186 clauses. For the interests of efficiency, I suggest to the Members that we deal with the clauses in groups of about 19 to 20. Members will, of course, have the ability to ask questions on any of the clauses within that grouping. Do Members agree with this approach?

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know: as the so-called seasonal positions are being cut, are those individuals eligible for a pension from this government for services which are seasonal?

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Human Resources. In light of the budget cuts and positions and whatnot, you have individuals who are making less than $30,000 cut through this process. For people living in communities, with $30,000 you're struggling as it is. Then to take whatever little seasonal job they have away and save $30,000, it will probably cost you $30,000 just to deal with the processing of this person.

I'd like to ask the Minister: have you looked at seasonal positions and looked at alternatives for those seasonal positions, where you’re only looking at saving $30,000...

We as the 16th Assembly have set a list of priorities that we’d like to achieve. There seems to be some misinterpretation of how we see it as Ordinary Members. When you talk about building capacity or trying to reduce the cost of living, I think people have different opinions on it. I think it’s appropriate that all Members have a choice to voice their opinions. When we look at these projects, where we have access to some $270 million of federal funds, where we can really make a difference to the Northwest Territories, it’s awfully hard for Members to try to illustrate what we mean by reducing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. In light of consensus government motions that have passed unanimously in this House, and also items and issues that Members raised in committees and in the process that we have to have inclusion of all Members of this House when a budget’s being developed....

In light of what we see here, I’d like to ask the Premier exactly how he sees motions being passed in this Legislative Assembly about matters which are brought before a Minister to deal with an item which is critical to their constituents — to be able to work with all Members...

Again, Mr. Speaker, I’ve been hearing too little too long. I know that if you don’t get a project on the budget process, you’ll never see the light of day.

So I’d like to ask the Minister: knowing that it is not on this particular budget this time around, can we see it in the next year’s budget, to ensure that we actually see some activity done on the project, which has been around this table since 1991?

I’d like to ask the Minister: what do you have to do to get on the list that we’ve been sending to the federal government? We don’t have input from this side of the House?

Mr. Speaker, with regard to my Member’s statement regarding the access road to Aklavik, I moved a motion in this House, and it was passed unanimously. Yet nowhere to be seen is there even any reference to the road to Aklavik.

I see that the access road to Tuk has been approved. I’m looking at a budget of $12 million. Yet, Mr. Speaker, a necessity to communities is gravel. When this government spends $2 million to move gravel from Inuvik to Aklavik by barge, there’s insanity to that. I think it’s important that this government realizes that we are dealing with threats by way of global warming...

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 4, Bill 7, Committee Report 2-16(2) and Committee Report 3-16(2) and would like to report progress.

I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was very disappointed with the Budget Address yesterday. There was no mention in regard to the access road for Aklavik. I’d like to congratulate my colleague from Tuktoyaktuk; they received recognition in the Budget Address.

After reviewing the budget last night, I was again not able to find anywhere in that budget reference to a motion that I passed in this House regarding an access road to gravel sources in Tuktoyaktuk to site 177 and an access road from Aklavik to Willow River to that gravel source.

This issue has been around since 1991 by way of motions from the...