David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support the motion that’s before us today for many of the reasons that have been articulated by my colleagues Mr. Bromley and Mr. Abernethy.

I, too, would just like to mention a few of the benefits of a strong respite care service in our community: integrated availability back into the community, social skills, relationship building, positive learning experiences, resiliency, helping families stay strong.

Mr. Speaker, a stated goal of this government is strong, vibrant communities. Mr. Speaker, respite care services are an integral part of us having strong, healthy...

The Minister didn’t answer the question I had. I mentioned in my previous question I found out about the funding cut at my constituency meeting. How did the Minister find out about it? Was it at her constituency meeting or did some of her staff actually tell her that this was in fact going to happen, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to pick up where my colleague Mr. Bromley left off, with some questions surrounding respite care again.

If you look at the Minister’s intentions, they are good, expanding respite care around the Territory. Mr. Speaker and Members around this room and in this House will agree that is a noble goal to expand this respite program around the Territory. It was included in the business plans that the committee went through just about a month and a half ago, Mr. Speaker, but something happened between those business plans and a decision to get rid of the funding...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got lots of patience; I’ve been waiting three years for this to happen. Maybe the Minister could give us a firm timeline on when a decision is going to be reached on what that realignment is going to be so people can line up the opportunities, if there are any opportunities that come out of it. I’m talking about the City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknives Dene, for example.

The realignment was to take place as a result of the freezing in situ of the arsenic trioxide storage vaults underground at Giant Mine. To my knowledge, that is going to happen here sooner rather than later. The switch might actually be turned on on one of those storage vaults being frozen in place. I’m just wondering if the Minister can explain what the roadblocks are in getting the realignment done. Is it DOT? Is it the federal government? Where is the snag in trying to get this addressed?

I’d like to recognize Chief Eddie Sangris from the Yellowknives Dene. Also my constituent Mr. Mike Krutko and Mr. Jeske, as well.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move we report progress.

---Carried

If there’s varying degrees of interest in each of those three options, I’d like the Minister to explain to me how a decision is going to be arrived at, which of those corridors is chosen for the realignment and what process the department has for coming back to Members of the House with that decision. It’s been three years since consultation was conducted on that. I’m just wondering if we’re talking about a new round of consultation on the realignment or not.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve got questions today for the Minister of Transportation and getting back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about the realignment of Highway No. 4, the Ingraham Trail, due to the remediation work ongoing at Giant Mine. It was three years ago that the department came forward with some possible options on the realignment of that road. We don’t have to look too far to see the potential that is out there, when roads are constructed, to allow for opportunities, business opportunities. If you look at the Yellowknives Dene, we could provide opportunities for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about the proposed realignment of Highway No. 4, more commonly known as the Ingraham Trail. A portion of that road passes through Giant Mine and needs to be moved to accommodate the remediation process.

The Department of Transportation came up with three corridor options and shopped them around to the public. That was back in 2007. A newspaper article notes an official saying the work is scheduled to begin next summer. That would have been the summer of 2008, two years ago.

Public comments on the corridors are noted on the DOT website. I believe...