Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As much as I would like to support this motion, from what I understand there are a few challenges with the current aircraft, keeping them operating and up to standards. As you know, in this day and age there are a lot of standards that we have to follow and I think that moving forward with new aircraft will live up to those standards and have safer equipment for forestry crews.

Also, the second part of the motion, working with the School of Community Government, in the past ENR has always had suppression crews on their own. We do have fire departments in our communities...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Premier, the honourable Mr. McLeod, some questions on the cost of living.

What is this government’s plan as we move forward to lower the cost of living in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As much as I would like to support this motion, I cannot support it. I am thinking of the capital projects that are scheduled in my riding for this coming year. There is no price tag attached to this, assurance of support needed. What kind of assurance that is, is not too clear. There is a possibility that if the government is forced to put money forward to this, our capital projects that are scheduled to be in place in the next year may be bumped, and that is something that I am very leery of. We have needs in our region, as well, in the Beaufort-Delta. If this motion...

When will the department extend the service of providing a nurse to Tsiigehtchic from up to five months to 12 months of the year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s been almost two years now since we’ve had a commitment in this House to have a full-time licenced practical nurse in Tsiigehtchic. The fall and breakup season are the only times of year that we in Tsiigehtchic have a full-time nurse in our community. Many times they count the days until freeze-up and breakup just to have that resource in our community, a little more income into the community, whether it’s rent or the companies there.

Our people need to feel safe. The only time that our people feel safe is during the freeze-up months and also breakup. So I have...

It all depends on the timing of the breakup and freeze-up months. It can be up to five months.

Will the Minister direct his department to double the funding provided to have a nurse in Tsiigehtchic from half the year to provide it for the full year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, the community of Tsiigehtchic is preparing for freeze-up as the service of the ferry is cut off in the next couple of days here.

As I mentioned in my statement, it’s been almost two years since the commitment from the previous Minister for a full-time licenced practical nurse in Tsiigehtchic. So, I’d like to ask the Minister, what stage are we at with that commitment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Section 48(1) of the Human Rights Act provides for the establishment of an adjudication panel composed of at least three persons, appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS Section 48(5) of the Human Rights Act provides that the members of the panel hold office, during good behaviour, for a term of four years, with the exception of the first members appointed;

AND WHEREAS there are currently two vacancies of the adjudication panel;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management has considered a number of qualified individuals for appointment as...

WHEREAS the Elections and Plebiscites Act provides for the appointment of a Chief Electoral Officer who has the responsibility to exercise general direction and supervision over the administrative conduct of an election and enforce, on the part of all election officers, fairness, impartiality and compliance with the Elections and Plebiscites Act;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that this Legislative Assembly, by virtue of Section 5 of the Elections and Plebiscites Act, recommends to the Commissioner the appointment of Ms. Nicole Latour of Yellowknife as Chief...

I agree with the Minister that early childhood is needed. Many of the communities, as Mrs. Groenewegen mentioned, already do programming for the smaller children from three to five. In the smaller communities I can agree that these are needed. For example, in Tsiigehtchic, which was one of the pilot projects last year, we don’t have daycares or early childhood programming in the communities, and that’s where I believe that those communities should be implementing Junior Kindergarten.

Will the Minister ensure that his department re-evaluates this program in the coming year? Thank you.