David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, during Committee of the Whole, we were discussing the developments of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. The process setting up this office is $850,000, and it is contained within Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1. I would be the first one to say that this office is much needed and overdue. I do realize the importance of this office for most of my colleagues and for the ridings they represent. However, Mr. Speaker, I have some degree of difficulty in understanding why it is that this cash-strapped government, by my count, that has today over 20...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel, and I have mentioned this before in the House, that I believe it’s only a matter of time before a serious incident takes place at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre. Does the Minister know that due to a lack of staff at the facility, they are currently paying out exorbitant amounts of overtime? Some employees are even working double and triple shifts. This practice certainly has to compromise the safety of the building, the staff and the inmates who are currently there, and I am wondering what the Minister will do to address this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I see it, there will still be departments off doing their own thing, unbeknownst to the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. How is this coordination? Why can’t someone take charge of this vitally important initiative and direct PYs and resources to it in no uncertain terms? Why isn’t this happening and why can’t it happen this way as opposed to coming back to this House looking for $850,000? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will go back to my statement that I made earlier with regard to the setup of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. I am just wondering when can we, as regular Members, get a real firm grip on our full staff complement, government-wide, that deals with pipeline readiness issues on a day-to-day basis in this government? When can we get that type of information? The calculations that I have made is it’s over 20 PYs government-wide. So I am asking the Minister when he might be able to make that information available to us. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know Mr. Lougheed has left, but I’d also like to recognize him. And Mr. Whitford, a constituent of mine and former Speaker of the House; welcome, sir. Also, Mr. Alfred Moses who helped coordinate the Quit and Win Contest in the Inuvik region. Welcome, Alfred, to the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I rise in the House to bring attention to Tourism Awareness Week which, because of the short sitting of this House, I will have to recognize today. That is from June 20th to 26th of this year. Organized by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada around the theme, “Tourism makes Canada Smile,” it is aimed at raising the awareness of the tremendous economic and social benefits of a $52 billion industry that keeps 1.6 million Canadians working, supports economic and community development, and generates significant tax revenues for all levels of government.

Tour...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To follow up with my colleague from Hay River’s remarks. I’d like to, as well, thank Mr. Allen and Mr. Yakeleya for putting this important motion forward today so we can at least have some discussion on it on the floor of this Assembly. I know the Premier in his remarks and Mr. Braden in his remarks later on, the more you listen to those two gentlemen speak the more you look at this motion and say there are a lot of good reasons in there why we should support this motion. I’d like to thank those two gentlemen for their comments.

The Premier also talked about obstacles. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tourism gives Canada a lot to smile about. Tourism Week is a time to celebrate all that tourism does for us. Canada’s tourism industry makes a significant contribution to Canada’s economy, to a standard of living as a nation and to the quality of life of all Canadians who have much in our territory to be proud of and support in our tourism industry. During the week of June 20th to 26th, remember that tourism does make Canada smile. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister makes light of service delivery and ease of service for clients, and I'm just wondering during the life of the last government there was much discussion with regard to the location of the BDIC offices. I know the community of Hay River, and I am a champion of the town of Hay River and what they're trying to do there, but now they're referring to the town of Hay River as the business capital of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what he will do to ensure that this important role and function of government stays in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is going to centre around the creation of the new Business Development Investment Corporation or BDIC. What I find very interesting is at the end of the life of the last government, this initiative had some life. It had some real energy. Six months into the life of this 15th Legislative Assembly, the government has been eerily silent on this subject. It is important to give our residents an opportunity to have the one-window, one-stop-shopping avenue for business matters and concerns. It is also important to me, as a Member, to know what is...