Floyd Roland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We could probably take up the rest of the question period if I were to go into a lot of detail in that area. A number of things that we are highlighting, Mr. Speaker, a number of things that we are doing and one of the areas that we have been working on with Members of the Assembly is the electricity rate review and implementing our recommendations that will affect the commercial cost of doing business in our communities. The fact that within the Department of ITI, we have put more focus on small businesses in our smaller communities as well as traditional activities in...

My understanding is an offer is made to a newly elected chief and council or a newly elected municipal council as well. In the area of band councils, we work under their direction in the sense of when they’re ready to make the request or accept an offer that’s been made. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, there are a number of areas where we could provide assistance and support when it comes to a new council coming into place. For example, financial advice could be provided to them. We also have board training available to newly elected leaders. As well, as I had stated earlier, about the contract municipal services. As well, through the School of Community Government, opportunities there to go and have staff training of that new council. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I know the Member is very good for raising a lot of rhetoric in this House and continues to do so. On the serious side of the equation, there are roles we play in this Assembly, there are directives that are given, and there are initiatives that can be taken. If we feel that the authority has mismanaged in its business, then we would have to take a more serious look not just at one particular case but the overall authority management and decide what needs to be done. If it is a continuance or a reoccurrence, was there oversight on this?

It was, in fact, as we heard earlier today...

I think this is one of, well, maybe not the first time, but rarely do we have brought up in the sitting of the Legislative Assembly who should be the chair of a working group or committee.

We will sit down, as I said. They are trying to pull the people together. If it’s co-chairs that go through it, we’ll go through it.

Since it’s been raised about the work of a Minister, well, the Minister was directed to deliver some work. That work has been debated for quite some time. It’s Cabinet overall that looks at those policies with input from Members. Again, the same process will be used. We will...

Mr. Speaker, once again, as a government we tried to pull an initiative together that would streamline the boards and agencies across the Northwest Territories and our relationship and the authorities we do have in place. The Member wants to get into a specific here and have us step into this area. We are monitoring it. The Minister stated that she has contacted the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority to raise issues with the way this was dealt with and to correct any issues that may have been there. But it also went out in a public manner, other companies have put in their...

Thank you. The working group is that, a working group. The recommendations that would flow out of that would go through Priorities and Planning as well as back to Cabinet. Cabinet would have that ultimate decision as to what gets implemented. It’s not a department has that final authority. It is a Cabinet position that would be taking to look at changes that would have to occur within that policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point within the Executive and within the departments, we’ve done what we can at this point. I just responded to a Member to say that if Members of this Assembly want us to do further work in there, let’s put it in writing I guess is one way to do it. Too often we make a commitment and find out that it wasn’t supported by enough of the Members of the Assembly and we end up backing down or it doesn’t get completed. In this area of finding a definition, I’m sure we could look at doing something like that, and again, through the Department of Municipal and...

Thank you. The blood is always pumping.

---Laughter

Many would say I’m passionate about my work. Mr. Speaker, the area that we want to pull together and the people together and the time frame, as I said, this is an important initiative for us. We’re reacting and acting with the Members, in a sense, to pull all of this information together.

It is early for us in response. You know, I apologize if the Member feels we’ve been delayed in doing this, but we are here, we are moving forward with this. I say that with the opportunities before us we’ll be able to pull a plan together and that’s where we...

Thank you. If the Members of this Assembly feel that we should put that as an initiative and identify it in our upcoming business plans, I’m prepared to work with the Members of the House on that. Thank you.