Kam Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for his questions and his concerns regarding the Harvesters Assistance Program that the Department of ITI has. We have $15,000 earmarked for that program on an annual basis and we are currently reviewing the criteria for claims to be filed for access to that funding. We are going to continue with reviewing the criteria.

In the last couple of years, the Member is correct, we’ve had flooding both in the Inuvik region and also in the Sahtu and we’ve had to find funding from within the Department of ITI. Two years ago it was close to $80,000 and three...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart, shock and sadness that I speak to you today about the tragedy that occurred last evening in Moncton, New Brunswick. Three RCMP officers have lost their lives and two officers have been injured in the line of duty in a way that makes no sense to any of us.

I know that I speak for all of us in extending our deepest condolences to the families of the members who gave their lives, and to the families of every RCMP officer serving in New Brunswick, in the Northwest Territories, across Canada and throughout the world. I have family in Moncton, so this strikes...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

Thank you. I certainly do care about people. I’ve been in this position for almost 12 years now and I do take my job very seriously. If the Member is so inclined, he has got the opportunity to move a motion on the floor of the House if he wants to pursue his idea. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

Thank you. I will check with the department on whether or not it’s too late to get another submission from the Member. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

Thank you. Yes, I can assure the Member that I’ll have that discussion immediately with the department. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

I give the Member a commitment that we will look at the program criteria and understand there are number of elders that are out. Some of those cabins belong to elders who don’t necessarily earn a living or are retired.

Again, that criteria is under review and it’s something I can commit to the Member that we will look at that issue.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s great to see so many students here. I’d like to welcome them all to the Assembly today. I also wanted to recognize one of our Pages, Delaney Beaton, who is with us today. She’s a Grade 8 student at St. Joe’s. I’d like to thank her for her work and all the work that the Pages have put in for Members during these last two weeks. Thank you very much.

I also want to recognize both school board chairs: from YK1, John Stephenson; and from YCS, Simon Taylor. I know Mike Huvenaars, the assistant superintendent, is here as well. Welcome, folks. I know I have two schools in...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 35)

We do have the Take a Kid Trapping Program, Take a Kid Harvesting Program. It’s $125,000 a year. We also have the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program at $600,000 a year. We also have the Western Harvesters Assistance Program, or WHAP, that’s $15 million a year. We also support local wildlife committees. We also look at the Community Harvesters Assistance Program, that’s another $1 million that we put out there. We do also have a Harvesters Disaster Compensation Program that we run through the Department of ITI, all there to assist people as they pursue traditional lifestyles on the land...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 35)

Thank you. I talked of some earlier and the issue the Member brings up, of course, runs across the numerous departments with the Government of the Northwest Territories, Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment, certainly ITI. We have initiatives, the Healthy Lifestyle Initiative, that encourages people to pursue activities and certainly that’s a discussion that we have to continue to have on how to get people out on the land pursuing their traditional activities.

As we mentioned, we have programs and I’d be more than happy to talk to the Member and the other Regular...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As oil and gas regulator, I am fully committed to ensuring that NWT petroleum resources are developed responsibly in a way that creates benefits for our people and communities and protects our environment. I am guided in my decisions by a well-developed framework of legislation, regulations and policies that includes the Oil and Gas Operations Act, or OGOA, and Petroleum Resources Act. I am responsible through OGOA for ensuring human health and safety and environmental protection for all oil and gas development activities such as seismic operations, drilling of wells...