Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding is all community governments established under our legislation are eligible, as well as First Nation councils. They are Jean Marie River, Kakisa, Hay River Reserve, Lutselk’e Dene Band, Nahanni Butte Dene Band, Wrigley and Detah. The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs may have further detail on that.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the idea is to look at if this in fact can be achieved, and the second piece of this is the availability of the hydroelectricity beyond the window that is being looked at: about six years. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated, the department has worked with NGOs, we’ve worked with aboriginal organizations and come up with a plan of trying to invest in communities and people that would help with the programming. There’s nothing stopping other groups or groups out there who want to become more involved. We think it’s a good thing that groups get involved directly with their people about how we can try and help provide a level of service that is, overall, a stronger one. So proposals can be worked with or brought into the health and social services authorities at the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, this is a contribution agreement we received from the federal government, the NWT, a Cooperation Agreement for French and Aboriginal Languages in the NWT, and this is money used by the departments to provide services in those languages in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this fund, once approved, will be application-based and communities will be able to apply to a maximum of $30,000 per community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, looking at the cost of the electricity through the facility and in comparison to the price of home heating oil, it was felt that the recovery of the cost could be done in three to five years.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department itself is not aware of formal proposals out there. I am aware that there is some work going on in the Beaufort-Delta region around the issue of trying to set up a wellness facility through the Gwich’in. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the increased utilization numbers have been looked at. There has been an increase in this area due to crime in the NWT unfortunately, but it is there. Fifty percent increase since 2000. The courts are feeling the pressure as a result of that. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the area of the work, the conversion on the three facilities in Fort Smith is a pilot project. Based on the results of that as well as the availability of electricity through the hydro facility, they would be looked at once this is completed. Thank you.