Frederick Blake Jr.

As I mentioned in my statement, we pay the highest costs for fuel, diesel and gasoline in our region.

I’d like to ask the Premier, is that because we’re trucking this into our territory? Would it be cheaper if we were to barge this into our territory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I represent one of the second-most-expensive ridings in the Northwest Territories, next to yourself that is.

My constituents pay the most in this territory for home heating fuel, diesel and gasoline. Diesel in Tsiigehtchic, for example, is $2.05 per litre, which is subsidized, by the way. Gasoline is $1.92 per litre.

We’re actually lucky because the price went down by 12 cents. So you can imagine how much our people are paying up in the Beaufort-Delta and Mackenzie Delta.

Groceries are another thing that’s the most expensive. For one litre of milk in Tsiigehtchic, we pay...

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.

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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. David Brock for all his time and effort. It was a pleasure working with him and I wish him well in his future endeavours.

I would also like to thank Ms. Nicole Latour and I look forward to working with her in the future. Thank you.

Thank you. I would like to ask the Minister what are the plans the department has for the impacts on other programming in the smaller communities. For example, in one of the communities they’re expected to lose approximately seven jobs in the coming year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Last year the communities that took on Junior Kindergarten received about $45,000 each to implement that. Why are the schools only getting $15,000 today? Thank you.