Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during my last constituency tour I held in the communities, one of my constituents wanted me to bring forward the need for more on-the-land healing programs in our region. I know a couple years back there was some programs held in Beaufort-Delta, but my constituents would like to see more happening within our riding. With the report that was done, I believe it was about a year and a half ago, under the Mental Health Act, our residents wanted more on-the-land healing programs. I know the department has been working with the Gwich’in Tribal Council. He gave...

Thank You, Mr. Chair. With me today is usually my right-hand man, but today he's my left-hand man. Here is Mr. Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and Mr. Ken Chutskoff, legislative counsel.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to provide opening comments on Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. This act currently provides for an automatic cost-of-living increase to MLAs' salaries on April 1 of each year. This increase is based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for Canada over the preceding two years.

If Bill 1 is not enacted, MLA salaries will increase by 1.1 per cent on April 1, 2016. This amounts to $30,000, including salaries paid to MLAs who hold additional responsibilities, such as Speaker, Premier, Ministers, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to establish a two-year freeze on any upward adjustment of the indemnities payable to Members under Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule C. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, follow-up to my Member's statement earlier today: As I mentioned, many of my constituents in the Mackenzie Delta would like more on-the-land healing programs to be held within our riding. I'd like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, when will the first on-the-land healing program be held at the Gwich’in Wellness Centre? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That’s what I wanted to get at. Will the Minister be willing to work with the community of Aklavik to start the process, and to ship the unit to Aklavik hopefully over the summer, not too late because the water usually drops quite a bit by the second barge, from what I understand, and start preparations for the next year, next budget, so the community could build up the roads, as I mentioned earlier. A lot of challenges with the roads in our community.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Transportation. I'd like to ask the Minister: can the Minister confirm the number of crushers available in the Northwest Territories through his department at this time?

That sounds promising. My last question for today is: Will the Minister be willing to come to Aklavik to see first-hand the challenges, and also to meet with the community?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community doesn't have the money that the Department of Transportation has to hire these contractors to do these services for them. The department has these crushers available to communities that need it. The community could do this work with their limited budget of maybe a couple hundred thousand, whereas to hire one of the contractors we're talking millions, at least over $1.5 million for sure. That's why the community is asking the department to work with them.

Mr. Speaker, it's actually two --

---Laughter

From what I understand. I'm not sure if it's divided between the north and south, that's what I wanted to ask. How does the department choose which community will use the crushers, and how does it establish the priority?