Frederick Blake Jr.

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.

Mr. Chair, also the community of Aklavik is very thankful that you did replace the shop there. I know they don’t operate Public Works and Services in Tsiigehtchic. It is contracted out. Moving forward, the community would like to see in the near future a plan to go back operating a Public Works shop out of the community of Tsiigehtchic in the future. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I mentioned they are under the public administrator. Is the administrator starting those plans as we speak? Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I have a couple of questions for the Minister referring to Fort McPherson as it is under public administration now which is basically under the Minister’s department. I’d like to ask the Minister what the plans are. I know there are some issues with the arena. That is why the hours have been cut back. There is a little trouble with the foundation. Is the department looking to fix this problem in the next month or two? Thank you.

Thank you. I look forward to that information. Moving forward, are there any plans for another multiplex unit for Tsiigehtchic and also Aklavik as well? Thank you.

It kind of makes me wonder a lot of times. Referring to the school in Inuvik, we built a nice building there. Yet we didn’t add on other programs that could be provided. For example, shop. Looking at schools down south, they have a nice section there, three-bay garage and they can offer automotives in high school. Yet we build a $100 million new school that doesn’t have facilities like that. Those are the kind of programs I’m thinking of. We want our students to grow up, take on trades and be mechanics and welders, yet we don’t have those simple programs offered in our schools today. That’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason I asked that question was, as I mentioned, in the criteria it’s 25 percent of what you harvest is what is required and that’s what the Minister was referring to.

So I’d like to ask the Minister, is the Minister open to reviewing and making changes to the 25 percent that is needed to qualify for the compensation application? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.