Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this tour really opened my eyes as a Regular Member who represents small communities. I know the last two years I have been supportive of having a treatment facility in the Northwest Territories, but after this tour, I do support sending our people south because of the specialists who are available on-hand and, you know, especially the treatment that is needed. In this day and age we are having more people that are being hooked on powerful drugs like crack cocaine. We just don't have the capacity here in the Northwest Territories to deal with that. You know, it...

I'm sure there are no problems finding people to sit on the board. I think what we need to do is make the community aware. You know, when a department is coming into the community, it's always important that it's outside in the community, whether it's on the CBC, the afternoon radio show that everyone listens to. We have to make sure that there are people out there who are aware of this meeting that's taking place. Will the Minister ensure that there is proper community communication and also put it on CBC Radio?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories suffers as a whole with housing needs. Families are on a long waiting list because of a lack of units or, rather than applying for their own units, they choose to stay with their family members.

Mr. Speaker, in all of the communities of the Mackenzie Delta riding -- Aklavik, Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic -- we know our community population is rising. We want to see our communities grow and benefit economically. We as a government need to keep on top of the housing needs for our people.

I understand, Mr. Speaker, that each of our...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the government provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, just the numbers don't add up because when I ask questions about keeping the ferry going, I'm given a number around $2.4 million, so it doesn't seem to add up to me. It's more like $1.6 or $1.5 and a bit. Yes, I'll have to go after this again in the fall, I guess. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's not defined what the Mackenzie Valley highway is, so if you ask anybody up in the Beaufort Delta, it's actually connecting north to south from Inuvik to Wrigley. It's a shame that, in the last few years, we focused on Norman Wells to Wrigley. I'm sure it is to get buy-in from the federal government, but if you ask anybody else, they want to see that road going right to Inuvik. That way, the whole territory could be connected, much like the Yukon. It's a shame that we have to drive through the Yukon, through BC, just to come to the southern part of the NWT.

If funds...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Under marine operations, I see the budget has gone down. Is that because the extended operations for the Louis Cardinal is not happening again this year? What's the cause of the reduction? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Similar to my colleague here, I brought this up under Member's statements. As I mentioned, Tsiigehtchic is interested in connecting the territory from north to south here, possibly, I'm not sure if it will go under community access but probably take up the whole thing. To put an ice road or, it's probably cheaper to do the ice road than actually over land from Campbell Lake to Fort Good Hope. I'm sure you'd see how busy it would get here in Yellowknife and Hay River if people from Inuvik were able to drive down. There were just a lot of opportunities there. I don't see...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, you may not know the answer to this, but I assume that all of the other plans administered by the government, including the one for the public service, the judiciary, teachers, NEBs, and so on, do they all include employer contributions like this? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, how has the plan been able to survive without any employer or public contributions? Thank you, Mr. Chair.