Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the department is planning to begin this work in this upcoming year and returning to the business planning process for 2008-2011 to try to come up with how we would fit in there. It was initially over a three-year period to come in with the legislation and how we were going to implement. We have been directed to try to cut that down to bring this up to speed sooner rather than later. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't have a complete scope of what the work was, but the project was redefined to fit the existing budget and, due to the late start, construction was delayed until this spring. But I don't have any further detail as to the size of it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2007-2008, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the forgiveness of debts owed to the government and public agencies.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the goal of the Interim Resource Management Assistance Program is to enable communities in the unsettled claim areas to develop and maintain capacity in three main areas; one, reviewing licence permit applications for land and water use; forced resource use, tourism, scientific or wildlife research, oil and gas rights and issuances and related matters; two, consultation and participation, environmental assessments, having potential impacts on land and resources; and, three, enhancing the ability to participate in consultations related to resource management...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, the Member is asking for my opinion on a process that is underway right now in negotiation. I am not prepared to give that at this point. I am prepared to work with my department, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, to hopefully come out with a successful conclusion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the report that was done on the ambulance and highway rescue, what you see here is the first phase of it. The $100,000 is the Department of Health and Social Services’ piece. That is working on creating the legislation. Municipal and Community Affairs has $200,000 that is available to communities that are delivering their own ambulance services at this time. There were a number of options in the final report, five of them to be exact. One, for example, was option one which was the status quo, no changes, let everybody do what they are doing. Option 1(a)...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, again I have to just restate that these projects were already approved projects through the business plan, through the capital infrastructure acquisition plan, and the fact for the winter road bridges program that's cost shared and those projects were selected and agreed to with the partners. For further investments, as the Member is requesting for further work, again that would have to be requested and put through the normal business planning process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Bill 15, Liquor Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the department works with the school boards and other agencies. This is a cost-shared program between the Department of ITI as well as the Minister responsible for youth on a 50/50 basis, giving it a total of $250,000 for this area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think, again, as we are in the midst of negotiation, that to raise it in this forum puts pressure on both parties, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority. As I stated, we are working cooperatively with them and hopefully we would have a successful conclusion to this. The issue of wage parity has come up all across the government in a number of areas where we have contracts in place supported by NGOs. That issue has to be looked at by the government at some point. I guess, when first called upon to look at this area of wage parity, our...