David Ramsay

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s pretty ironic listening to the Minister of Education’s statement today. I will start off today saying I would like to speak about my concerns with Education, Culture and Employment’s Apprenticeship Training Program. A constituent of mine has been trying to get their journeyman certificate in plumbing but, unfortunately, all their attempts have been thwarted and not aided by this program at all.

Madam Speaker, the Minister has said, and I quote, "For our people to get the most out of the diamond mines, oil and gas development and other projects, they need to have...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, given the issues that he has heard about today and the issues that are out there, I know my colleagues have heard other issues related to this office, I am wondering if he could commit to doing a review of this training program. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Yes, thanks, Madam Speaker. Does the Minister know why it would take my constituent five months to get a seat at the entrance exam, and why would the office not keep a waiting list for people wanting to take that exam? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for his response. I do look forward to the report, the file coming forward, so that we can have a look at it and can better understand how the decision was arrived at.

One of the things that I would like to see included in that -- I know we have been going through and it is no slight against Hay River -- we have been having a tremendously difficult time staffing up a pipeline office in Hay River. These are specialized professional people that work at treatment centres like this. I am wondering can we get the employees to work at the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question I have for the Minister is when we might expect to see something like this, because it is certainly a big issue with many families here in Yellowknife, folks that work there, parents who have children there. I would like to ask the Minister when we might expect that report or that file. I still have trouble understanding why a department that would make a decision like this wouldn’t have a file readily available for Members. I wanted it yesterday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad to hear the Minister say that some of the renovation work is going to get done and some of the galleries are going to open this summer, because, as I mentioned in my Member’s statement, we are going to get a great deal of traffic through the capital city here in the summer months with the AFN being here and the increase in road traffic. So I’m glad to hear the Minister is paying attention to that. I’m wondering if the Minister could let us know when he expects all the renovations to be completed at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Like I mentioned...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few people I’d like to recognize; first is Richard Edjericon. Richard is a former chief of the Yellowknives Dene and candidate-elect for the Conservative Party in the Western Arctic riding. Welcome, Richard.

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With Richard is Mr. Gerry Cheezie. Gerry is the manager of the Yellowknives Dene housing. Welcome, Gerry.

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Also, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Ms. Amanda Mallon who is the president of the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association. Welcome.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if the Minister could let us know if that report or file is going to be comprehensive in its scope. Is it going to look at the educational needs of the clients, what the impacts of the program are going to be on moving it, the professional side of things, and the availability of services in Hay River? Is it going to be a comprehensive report, or are we going to be able to poke holes in this thing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it goes back to the discussion we had yesterday in the House and some of my colleagues had brought up earlier. That is in relation to the proposal to relocate the Territorial Treatment Centre out of Yellowknife. I read through the Hansard yesterday, Mr. Speaker. I had trouble trying to ascertain how the decision was made. I am still of the opinion that a decision was made based solely on what it would cost to renovate a piece of infrastructure. That is all I have seen. I have to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it goes back to my Member’s statement from earlier today. From a tourism standpoint, I find it very disturbing that the renovations are taking so long at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. One of the things the North oftentimes gets criticized for is the lack of product here in the Northwest Territories for tourists to take in and have what I feel is the cornerstone of the tourism products here unavailable for public viewing for the length of time it’s been...