Kam Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 41)

To accommodate the translation needs, the department has arranged for the RCMP “G” Division members to have access to language line services, or CanTalk. It’s a 24-hour translation service for most languages, including many Aboriginal languages. In addition, OCC maintains a list of the languages spoken by “G” Division members and employees.

The RCMP “G” Division has on staff an Aboriginal person who is a recruiter specifically for the Northwest Territories. The role of the recruiter is to travel to communities and make RCMP career presentations to interested individuals. While there, there are...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Operations and Communications Centre is located here in Yellowknife. It provides services to every community across the Northwest Territories. The centre currently has 21 employees, which includes four operators and one supervisor per 12-hour shift.

The OCC is able to make direct contact with at least one officer from each detachment across the Northwest Territories at all times. We have an operation that is centrally located. It’s the most cost-effective and efficient way to operate a very specialized 24/7 policing operation. Calls from communities are taken, as I...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 41)

Mr. Speaker, now that the Government of the Northwest Territories is responsible for administering the territory’s onshore petroleum resources, we are looking ahead to effectively plan and manage the NWT’s world-class oil and gas potential for the benefit of all residents.

To encourage future exploration and responsible development of oil and gas reserves in the territory, the Department of Industry, Tourism and investment is preparing for its first ever call cycle for oil and gas exploration rights.

Mr. Speaker, at this stage, the petroleum rights issuance process is moving forward with the...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some companies have made business decisions affecting the amount of work that is going to take place in the central Mackenzie Valley in the Sahtu this coming winter. I understand there will be some meetings here this fall, and hopefully the activity returns to the region. But certainly the department and our regional staff are keeping a watchful eye on what’s happening in the region. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, responsible mineral exploration and development strengthens our territorial economy and helps to provide each region with opportunities and choices.

Later today I will be tabling the Mineral Development Strategy Implementation Plan, which will put the recommendations made in the Mineral Development Strategy into place. The creation of an environmentally sustainable NWT Mineral Development Strategy was a key priority of the 17th Legislative Assembly and it establishes a comprehensive plan to ensure the long-term growth of a sustainable mining industry that will create jobs and...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Northwest Territories Mineral Development Strategy GNWT Implementation Plan, 2014-15.”

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

I recently was at an FPT meeting in Banff where Ministers from around the country were discussing Aboriginal and First Nations policing and the fact that the federal government hasn’t been forthcoming with more funding to see community constables put into small Aboriginal communities across the country.

It’s not only an issue here in the Northwest Territories but it’s something other jurisdictions are struggling with as well. I believe I was the fifth Justice Minister from the Northwest Territories to sit around that table and let the federal government know that we’re not happy with the amount...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

Thank you. It is a very proud statistic for the region that we saw in Tulita the growth from six Aboriginal-owned businesses to 30 Aboriginal-owned businesses in the past few years. That’s a testament to all the activity and the entrepreneurial spirit that’s in the community. We also saw a big decrease in the amount of income support payments paid to people in the Sahtu. For the exact figure, the Member would probably want to go to ECE and get an exact figure, but anecdotally that figure was around $1 million less in income support payments paid to the people in the Sahtu last year. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, I know at ITI we’ve added some positions. There are other government departments that added positions as well. So to get a comprehensive look at what we’ve put into the Sahtu, if the Member wants, over the past two or three years since the activity started, that’s something that I’d like to do for him and we can hopefully put that together and get it to the Member in short order. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to take a second to recognize a Page that I have working in the Assembly last week and this week. Kyle Stannard from Kam Lake. I also wanted to take a second to recognize representative Bob Herron, visiting us from the great state of Alaska. Welcome, Bob. I see Sean Ivens up there as well. Welcome, Sean. Welcome to the Assembly, and everybody else that’s here today, welcome.