Floyd Roland

I know that the Power Corporation headquarter staff as well as the staff within that community of Hay River and across the North has in fact faced many challenges over the last number of years from motions of this Assembly to motions of the Association of Communities. They have dedicated to continue providing the best level of service they can. We have had our challenges. I know that the issue of morale is one of those that get discussed by the board, as well, when they talk about the future operations going forward with the Power Corporation. Yes, I believe that morale is important. With the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The ad that was put out by the board on the recruitment process for the CEO was out. I was informed about it as the ad had gone out. I met with the acting chair of the board as well as their recruitment committee for that position. They have informed me that there has been no designation as to whether it be Hay River or Yellowknife, but they included that, and partly due to the fact of the review that was done that talked about some restructuring of the executive part of the headquarters. There is no commitment from that piece that we are not planning to do any moves...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spent a great deal of time this summer talking with NWT residents and organizations about their vision and priorities in the future of our Territory. I was pleased and challenged by the many conversations that I had in various Creating Our Future Together roundtables, but even more so by the passion and commitment that NWT residents have demonstrated by their participation.

I have been particularly inspired and rejuvenated by the discussions I enjoyed with our Territory’s youth.

Today’s youth are ready and eager to meet the challenges of the future. They do not back...

Mr. Speaker, the area of the work that’s being done at the Northern Leaders Forum, which we do have involvement from Regular Members, we will pull that work together, we will come up with options of how we proceed. How much of that, for example, will be run through this forum, being the public government, the process for it and what type of recommendations... Do they get debated, for example, in this Assembly? Do we put it out there for more comments? Our goal is to come back in June of the upcoming year for discussion by this Assembly as how we would progress on those key areas and adopting...

Mr. Speaker, we brought forward this idea of reaching out to the people of the North, building a common vision between aboriginal governments, public government, the future of the Territories, and it was through that work we brought the request for funds. Through that work we came up with a process of using some of that for the aboriginal governments to do their work and, of course, for our work. But as we talk about that future of how we build and how we go forward, that work, as I had stated, we are going to get together and pool all of the work that has gone on, the information we receive...

Thank you. The issue of banking in our communities, we have quite a number of communities across the North that have no formal banking services. So those services are provided by, for example, a community store, a grocery store, an institution within the community. The program we would have is if there are complaints lodged, we would have to look through our consumer affairs part of our government. So that’s the only thing I can offer at this time without further detail and getting the appropriate Minister to respond. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as I know, the Minister of Justice has worked with the community and with, for example, the RCMP and the Department of Justice to support their plan for the backup policy that they have initiated and we have had to implement, which costs us more money through our contract, as well as expand services into those communities that don’t have coverage and work with the RCMP on that initiative as well, because they are in charge of, for example, the capital side. Our contract covers the O and M side. That is something that continues to be something we work with them on to try to expand...

I would say I’ve been apprised the Member of this Legislative Assembly question Ministers of the past about where they put their key staff. I have heard many Members of the Assembly talk about, for example, if we were to put in new positions, that we diversify and go throughout our Territory. I will express the concern to the board as we go through these stages of hiring a new CEO. I will share that with the board. Thank you.

The board has hired a recruitment firm over the last number of months, and has now in fact, I believe, made a recommendation as to who they would select. So during that process that ad was a part of it, and I just recently had a meeting again with the acting chair as well as the selection committee for that position. They reiterated to me that there was no preference given to either location, but I will commit to speaking with the board on this issue. Once again, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jackson Lafferty will be absent from the House for the remainder of the week to attend the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers of Justice meeting in Vancouver.

I would also wish to advise Members that the Honourable Bob McLeod will be absent from the House for the remainder of the week to attend the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers of Tourism meeting in Vancouver. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.