David Krutko

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. In Committee of the Whole we are considering tabled documents 4, 30, 38, 62, 75, 103, 133, 135; Bills 4, 14, 17 and 20; and Ministers’ statements 65 and 88. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.

Moving on to page 5-52, again, information item, 5-53, information item, programs and district operations, operations expenditure summary, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 5, recognition of visitors.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you. Okay, we’re on page 5-49, information item, finance and infrastructure services, operations expenditure summary. Agreed?

I’ll try to get back to my original question. Will the government consider funding the meeting coming up next week between the Dene Nation and the Dene leadership so that they can basically develop their position, see exactly what their issues are, and format that discussion and make their positions clear to the people of the Northwest Territories and the Government of the Northwest Territories?

Moving on to page 5-49, information item, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier and is in light of my Member’s statement and specifically the lack of consultation that seems to be taking place between the Dene leadership.

I’ve received a phone call from Billy Erasmus, who put a formal request into the Government of the Northwest Territories to host a Dene leadership meeting, which includes all the Dene leaders throughout Denendeh, regarding the Mackenzie Valley on this issue that are before us on devolution. The Dene people are the ones that are most impacted by this decision and we do have treaty obligations...

I’ll come back to this question, but I’ll ask another one. I think one of the programs especially on the program officer side, it seems like they’re all in the regional centres and I think this might be a perfect opportunity for this government to decentralize some of those positions from the regional districts to the communities that they serve. That’s something that we should consider looking at, because I think in my riding I have two people, one serves Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson, the other one serves Aklavik, but they both live in Inuvik. I think that whenever possible if it’s...

Minister of Housing.

Thank you. Next I have Mr. Yakeleya.