David Krutko

Mr. Minister. Mr. Koe.

Mr. Chair, I would just like to make it clear for the record, it does not say shall be involved, it says shall involve. The “be” isn’t there. Again, I think that it’s pretty clear from a letter that was sent to the Premier as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Premier of the Northwest Territories which was April last year before the agreement was even contemplated being signed off, which was five months prior to the signing. It clearly stipulated six areas of contention that they had in the devolution agreement. The Gwich’in claim is a comprehensive claim. The president, the board of directors...

Minister Miltenberger.

Agreed. Mr. Bromley.

Again, Mr. Chairman, we find ourselves under the economic threat of what is going on in the world, especially coming to fuel prices as we have just heard in the news since just yesterday that the fuel prices have exceeded $100 a barrel in which they are talking of the possibility of what is happening in Lebanon and other places in the world in regards to the Middle East that affects southern Arabia and other countries. It could be in excess of $200 a barrel. Are we prepared for that? Do we have enough fuel products that we purchased and at what time did we purchase and are we vulnerable to the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister to keep us abreast in regard to where this is going and give us updates whenever possible. So I’d like to ask the Minister for ongoing updates on where the progress of this is going. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, can the Minister tell me exactly when you intend to conclude the study and maybe look at the possibility of either recommendations or consideration of implementing it or bringing it forward to either committee or Members of the Legislative Assembly so that we can see, again, where we are going to consider alternative fuel sources for communities? Thank you.

Thank you. I’d like to add to the Minister’s comments and I think it’s a question of timing, and more importantly, it’s putting the resources into it. I noted, looking at our budget, that we’re putting a lot of money into French immersion, and more importantly, developing French programs and services in the Northwest Territories. But I think by making those investments, we’re losing sight of the most important component of that in the history of the Northwest Territories and indigenous people that live here and their history. I think one thing that I find, being in this House for almost 16...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was just asked by my colleague to ask a few questions in regard to the area of petroleum products but more in regard to as we realize the area of supply of wood pellets. It’s getting big in the Northwest Territories and I think that also because petroleum products does provide fuel products to our communities, have they considered by looking at other products that they can bring into the communities such as wood pellets to supply communities with not only diesel fuel and gas but maybe consider wood pellets as an alternative heat source for the communities so people can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to speak on Education Week, and more importantly, dealing with the education curriculum that we offer to our students in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important that we develop a curriculum that’s meaningful to our students’ education and gives them an opportunity to learn the bright history, and more importantly, the knowledge that has been held here for thousands of years from their ancestors, regardless if its treaty rights, land claim rights, or even preservation of our language and culture.

Mr. Speaker, the Beaufort-Delta...