David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscite Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, No. 3, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Elections and Plebiscites Act to implement recommendations of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures following up on its review of the report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the administration of the 2007 General Election. Thank you.

With people’s lives hanging in the balance on a medevac or an air ambulance flight from the Northwest Territories into Edmonton, you would think that the Government of the Northwest Territories would have a position on the closure of the City Centre Airport in Edmonton. I’m wondering why the Minister and why the government hasn’t taken a position on that closure. I think that’s very strange, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Health and Social Services going back to my Member’s statement where I talked about a thousand medevac or ambulance flights that originate in the Northwest Territories that head for Edmonton and use the City Centre Airport in Edmonton, Alberta. There’s talk now of closure of that airport and I’m wondering if the Minister of Health could let us know what the closure of the City Centre Airport in Edmonton will mean to our health care expenditures here in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 43-16(5), Supplementary Estimates No. 3, 2010-2011 (Infrastructure Expenditures), be now concluded and that Tabled Document 43-16(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

This closure will affect each and every community in the Northwest Territories and all of our residents. In the North, air ambulance service is a service that our residents depend on. Why doesn’t our government have anything at all to say about the closure of the City Centre Airport in Edmonton? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just wondering on the North Slave Correctional Centre, the flooring replacement, that building is not that old. It’s coming on eight years, I suppose. Why would we be needing to replace the floor for $141,000? I guess the second question would be why couldn’t what would be a project that you think would get done in one year couldn’t get done? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to comment briefly on the $135.9 million in carry-overs for infrastructure projects. I’ve given the government credit in the past for its infrastructure plan and the new way it looks at capital projects. Maybe what I’m really looking for is a comment from the government on this. Even at 34 percent, it’s still a large number that we’re looking at carrying over. It’s $136 million. I’m just wondering if we have a game plan going forward. I know we’re going to revert back to more historic numbers a couple years from now and that’s $75 million a year in...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just had a question on the million dollar investment with the partnership program with Wilfred Laurier. The question I have is: there has been a lot of research done in the Northwest Territories. Now, the question of ownership, who owns that knowledge at the end of the day I think is important to know. I just maybe would like to ask a question of the government. Who is ultimately going to own the report or the knowledge that is gleaned from this research work that is going to be done? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a question on the first one and that’s $1.093 million for additional costs to incur as a result of the collective agreement between Hay River Health and Social Services Authority and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. I’m just wondering if the government has any plans going forward to bring those employees under the authority of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Currently they are outside of the other employees and I’m just wondering, seeing as we’re spending another over $1 million, I’m just wondering if anybody has a time frame on when that might...