David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regards to the Premier’s statement I just can’t help myself wondering which groups the Premier is talking about negotiating with regional Aboriginal governments. Are we only talking about the two that signed the agreement-in-principle?

There was a question asked in the House by Mr. Menicoche about trying to fund Aboriginal organizations that have concerns with the devolution agreement and it was pretty clear from his comments that he will not be funding those organizations. So by asking for money from the House to support negotiations towards a final agreement, who...

Mr. Speaker, another area I think the Minister should seriously look at is the whole area of boarding of the students that have to leave their home communities and go to the regional centres. In Inuvik they had a hostel that was designed for the students from the Beaufort-Delta to go to Inuvik and take high school, which was costing over $400,000 a year. Since that, they’ve revamped the program where they’re basically allowing now for home board, or basically boarding the students with families in Inuvik, which is costing in excess of $200,000. So there’s a surplus of $200,000 somewhere in the...

Mr. Chairman, do we have any long-term locked in contracts in regards to our suppliers in regards to the commitments we have with the Power Corporation and communities in regards to fuel resupply? Do we have long-term contract commitments or is it simply on a year-to-year basis?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Education since it is Education Week and our theme day on education has just been rolled out here. I think it’s important that there was a government policy made back in the 12th Assembly to implement K to 12 in all communities in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, some 16 years later we still haven’t fully implemented the policy, in which there’s communities that still don’t have high schools such as the community I represent in Tsiigehtchic. I know that the Beaufort communities are in the same boat.

I think, Mr. Speaker...

Mr. Chairman, in regards to chargebacks, again, with the advancement in telehealth and telemedicine and the possibility of improving health care services in our communities, I think it is important that we have either technicians on the ground or technicians working within the different departments to ensure that we are able to enhance that program and deliver on it, because from what we have seen in communities I have been in in the health centres, in Fort Liard and elsewhere, and talking to the nursing staff that had new equipment brought in, it really improves the delivery of health care...

Thank you. It’s good to develop curriculum and whatnot and put it into the schools, but we have to make it mandatory that people will actually take the course, learn the course and get credits for those courses. What I’d like to know is will those courses, regardless if it’s Northern Studies, Aboriginal studies, that it be mandatory in all high schools in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

I’d like to thank the Minister for that. As government we are putting a lot of money into government retrofits and conversions in regard to public buildings regardless if we’re talking about schools or government facilities in our communities. I think if we’re talking about expanding outwards into the communities, this again is another area that I feel the department of petroleum products can expand in, and more importantly, look at alternative types of fuels and materials. I’d just like to ask the Minister in regard to doing this type of initiative, is it going to be done in-house or are we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education in regards to my Member’s statement in regards to the importance of developing curriculum for the students in the Northwest Territories. It is something that is meaningful to the students. Like I mentioned, the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Board of Education along with the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit have developed language curriculum to deliver in the schools in the Beaufort-Delta. That is one way I believe we can develop curriculum that is useful to the students, and more importantly, preserve their language and culture. Mr...

I seek unanimous consent to go back to 7-22, petroleum products.

I’d just like to ask the Minister how do you get an operational cost of a facility that hasn’t been operating? So we’ve got office buildings in Inuvik, you’re talking about building one in Yellowknife. So technically you can’t have the operational costs unless you functionally operate the facility to know what your actual costs are. So do you know what the actual costs to operate those facilities are, based on occupancy and usage of heat and power?