Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Byrne Richards, a constituent, who is with us in the gallery today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about the proposed Northern Development Agency and whether or not our government is making any progress in discussions with the federal government on bringing this agency’s headquarters to the Northwest Territories. I also would like to know what the federal government’s intentions are when it comes to the future of northern development.

This new agency supposedly would consolidate existing northern development activities into one which, Mr. Speaker, I am fully supportive of. The announcement was made late last year and we still do not know...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a quick question on the renovation to the Yellowknife licence issuing office. Personally I have had good experience going to the road licensing officer here in Yellowknife, downtown Yellowknife, but I have heard from other people who experience long waits and they are there for hours and there never seems to be -- even though there are three cubicles in that office -- three people working there, and oftentimes one cubicle is closed. I am just wondering, with the renovations, are we going to see an increased level of service to the public with those renovations...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to this Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and infrastructure has completed its review of Bill 6, Species at Risk (NWT) Act, and Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act.

The committee wishes to report that Bill 14 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole and also Bill 6 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In keeping with the theme of jobs and federal jobs, I want to...We’ve talked about this before, about the fact that there are a number of jobs -- in the hundreds -- located in Gatineau and Ottawa, that belong in the three northern territories. There has been much work done in the past on identifying these jobs, finding out where they’re located, and we’ve asked the federal government in the past to relocate these positions north of 60. I’d like to ask the Premier today if his government, our government here in the Northwest Territories, will push this forward again and give it some renewed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Premier today and it gets back to my Member’s statement from earlier where I was talking about the Northern Development Agency that the federal government has proposed. I’m wondering if the Premier can give us an update on what exactly our government has done in trying to convince the federal government that the Northwest Territories is a good location for this Northern Development Agency.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Devolution may take many more years to negotiate. At a minimum, the federal government must be made to recognize that northern development positions belong in the North. I believe it is the job of this government to examine the positions that exist and present a case to the federal government. Let’s convince them that these jobs would mean more to us, more for our economy and more for the development of our Territory as a whole if they were in fact located in the North.

Mr. Speaker, devolution will come, but why can’t the jobs come first? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am just wondering about current plan holders under the NEBS Pension Plan that have pledged security. Are creditors going to be able to go after it once this legislation is passed? Are creditors going to be able to go after pension plan holders that have already pledged their plans as security? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Minister for that. For the procurement of those services, is it just going to be how we procure other services or is it going to go out to tender or is there only one in each community? I’m thinking it may be a business opportunity for people in both those communities to get into business. I’d like to see a competitive type of process take place. I’m just wondering if that will happen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll just wait until we get to the detail and ask the question on that page. Thanks.