Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of SCAN legislation had much debate and I believe Members of the past Assembly agreed in principle with that piece of work. One of the things we have to do, as the 16th Assembly, is highlight our priorities and we’d be prepared to work along with the Members if that’s the wish and the will of this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have in the past with a number of departments looked at these options and have worked in this environment, I’d be happy to sit down with the Member and look at what options are available, how we can work in there. We also have to look at the framework that we do operate in and there may be some restrictions that we have to work with. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have in the past, and the Member used an example of district education authorities working with the program to have people come in and help with the schools, so, yes, as a government, we are open to looking at avenues where we can have that type of assistance available in our communities. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs does work with communities to open this type of dialogue with those groups. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we haven’t had a decision come forward on any of the projects as of yet. Cabinet is reviewing the criteria that has been established, what projects could be put on that list, where we would find the 25 percent. If there are partners out there that have that 25 percent, they’d be part of the mix as to a decision and we’d be prepared to meet with committee as we do that work. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Michael Miltenberger will be absent from the House today to attend the Joint Review Panel proceedings on the Mackenzie gas project in Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m aware that the Department of Transportation has been working with the city. They’re aware of the requests made, have worked with them in a number of areas regarding this. The problem comes down to do we find the money, where do we find it from? I’m aware, as well, we’re going to be putting the pieces together and sitting down with Members once we’ve come up with the criteria on what projects would be able to move forward. The big problem we’re going to come up with on this specific Building Canada Fund is how do we find our matching dollars in an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the conditions aren’t met, and there is a time limit to the conditions being set in place, if they are not met, then I will commit, as Premier of the 16th Legislative Assembly, before any further decisions are made on this that I will work with committee members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct. If all conditions are met, then the Government of the Northwest Territories' liability, if we decided for reasons of our own as the 16th Assembly to pull back from that project, the liability can grow significantly if the liabilities or the conditions have been met by the other parties. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of the volunteer sector has played a prominent role within the government and a number of departments. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs now has that area of responsibility and the Minister in charge has been working with a number of departments. So there are a number of initiatives that have worked their way into the system, maybe not to the level as groups would like, and if it’s the will of this Assembly that we re-look at that, where it sits, be prepared to review that scenario, I can say now that just because it would sit in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in response to the questions on the 19th of this October, looking at the issues there, as I responded, the liabilities on our government remain the same as long as the conditions hadn’t been made, there’s no final contract on this project when signed. They’re waiting for a number of factors to be settled yet. Thank you.