David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, was very interested in the news report this morning that saw a former Premier question the AIP and the way forward for this government. Mr. Speaker, it came across as being negative and blatantly self-serving, if I can say so. It got me to thinking that here’s a former Premier talking about a deal like this and where does that leave the public that’s out there in the Northwest Territories? What are they to believe? So I guess the first question I have, Mr. Speaker, is I’d like to ask the Premier how he is going to take this deal out to the people of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize International Stuttering Awareness Day, which takes place tomorrow. In supporting this awareness, I’d also like to recognize a former constituent, Ms. Karen Hollett, who is with us in the gallery today, who recently published a book about a young girl who stutters. A heart-warming story, Hooray for Aiden, was written by Ms. Hollett, who knows firsthand how challenging life can be for a young person who stutters. It is an excellent book that shows how a young grade 2 student named Aiden overcomes her fear of speaking in class and about how...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll try to stay away from numbers, but obviously when you’re looking at transferring, say, hundreds of jobs to the Northwest Territories, you’re going to have to negotiate a number. Obviously our negotiators aren’t going to be working with the federal government on some numbers that are woefully inadequate. I’d like to ask the Premier, on the ‘A’ Base, and that’s the funding for programs, how was the proposed number substantiated in the AIP?

I support the government, I support the Premier in their efforts, in his efforts to try to get signatories to that deal, to get it done for the people of the Northwest Territories. We need jobs, we need opportunities and we need some prosperity here in our Territory and I think this is a great way to kick-start that effort.

I’d like to ask the Premier, given the fact -- and I know, Mr. Speaker, you’ve cautioned some Members today about speaking about the specifics of the AIP -- I’m wondering if I could ask the Premier if his intention is to table that document in this House so that we can have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize all the visitors that we have in the gallery today and especially Ms. Karen Hollett, who I spoke of earlier for all the advocacy work she does on disability awareness. Thank you, Karen, and good luck with your book. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to speak today about an agreement that’s posted on the Department of Transportation’s website. It’s entitled Community Opportunities and Involvement Agreement. It’s an agreement between the community of Fort Providence, represented by the Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation and the Fort Providence Metis Council.

Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation was, for all intents and purposes, the best laid efforts of the community of Fort Providence to construct and manage the Deh Cho Bridge. Events of the past year have led to the dismissal of the original general...

I look forward to hearing back on how that rolls out.

Just a couple of other things. I just wanted to voice my concern over the dusty conditions in small communities. I’ve had the honour and the privilege to serve in this House for the past several years and the opportunity, as well, to travel to a number of small communities. We get in there oftentimes in the spring or summer. The thing that is always... I’m left with the impression that things are really dusty. It detracts from the quality of life in our small communities. I think the department, we can try to put it all back on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Section 16.(2) of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Act provides that the Human Rights Commission is composed of such members, between three and five in number, as may be appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS one of the five commission appointments expired on June 30, 2010;

AND WHEREAS another commission appointment was left vacant due to a commission member’s resignation;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management is tasked with recommending individuals to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is...

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister could table the last two financial projections on that bridge I had asked him to put on the Transportation’s website the other day, because those don’t paint a very rosy picture of the financial outlook on that project. Mr. Speaker, it is not all doom and gloom. I am speaking from facts his department has in fact given me.

I would like to ask the Minister why the Opportunities and Involvement Agreement is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2012, and not November 1, 2011. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions today for the Minister of Transportation. It gets back to my Member’s statement where I talked about the Opportunities and Involvement Agreement negotiated by the government with the community of Fort Providence in regards to the termination of the concession agreement for the Deh Cho Bridge Project.

I would like to begin by asking the Minister if he could explain to this side of the House and to the public why was it was necessary to enter into an agreement with the community for $7 million over the next 35 years because of the termination of that...