Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about a boat trip that happened in Fort McPherson last month. On September 23rd a total of 12 homemade boats, which we call scows, and 38 people, young and old – the youngest being three years of age and the oldest in their late 70s – travelled from Fort McPherson up the Peel River some 75 miles. All boats were back home on Sunday, September 28th.

Our people have always been nomadic. We travel where food is, or we follow where the food is, depending on the season. This huge group of 38 people were successful in harvesting moose, catching fish...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For many years the community of Tsiigehtchic has been asking for an RCMP detachment in the community. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice, it has been over six months now that we had a commitment that we would have the RCMP start overnighting in the community.

How many times since that commitment has the RCMP overnighted in Tsiigehtchic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of questions for the Minister. I see there are no plans on here for Fort McPherson. They’re in need of a replacement of their Public Works and Services shop there. I’d like to ask the Minister what are the plans moving forward for replacing that. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, just on the same topic, I know the community, when it was under the hamlet, we were planning to start the planning process towards a new arena. What stage are we at now with those plans for a new arena? Thank you.

Thank you. Yes, a lot of nice buildings coming up in Aklavik. I was wondering if the Minister would know if one of those replacement units is Bennett Apartments. As the Minister knows, it was probably built in the time that he lived there and that was quite some time ago.

---Laughter

If the Minister could answer that, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I mentioned earlier, I see a lot of things happening in the Mackenzie Delta region. I’m thankful for that.

I’d just like to ask the Minister, I don’t see anything on here for Tsiigehtchic and I mentioned that there’s a unit that needs retrofit. So would that fall under O and M because it was a current unit? Thank you.

Just one more question. In Tsiigehtchic we have a unit that caught on fire I believe almost a year ago now. What are the plans for the department moving forward? Are they going to retrofit it or are they going to tear it down and build a new one? What are the plans moving forward? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have two comments. There’s a huge demand in smaller communities. I represent Fort McPherson, Aklavik and Tsiigehtchic. First off I’d like to commend the department, which has done a pretty good job over the years replacing a lot of the older units. As I go through the communities I represent, there are new places, up and coming new places. In Aklavik at the moment, we have a new Joe Greenland Centre going up and plans next year for a similar type unit in Fort McPherson. The community is very excited for this.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, October 23, 2014, I will move the following motion: 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 Electoral Officer for the Northwest Territories for a term of four years commencing November 1, 2014.

Mr. Speaker, I know the policy is one of the issues, that we cannot have one person put in a community, like a small community like Tsiigehtchic.

So I would like to ask the Minister, will the Minister adopt the policy from Alaska which allows community officers in small communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.