Frederick Blake Jr.

Mr. Chairman, just along those lines, I have maybe more of a recommendation that maybe the Minister work with the Minister of ENR to try to work out some sort of an increase in price for beaver pelts. Many people in the Beaufort-Delta will know the population has really exploded up in that area and I’m sure it’s the same in all areas, but there is just no demand for those pelts right now. Instead of letting the population double and double, I think we need to help manage that resource and try to put I don’t know whether it’s a bounty to help harvesters try to harvest those furs. Thank you.

Just on another note, under the Community Harvester Assistance Program, I will use the same community as an example, Fort McPherson. This program, by the time you break it down to each community, I believe they get about $12,500. When you have 50 harvesters in the community, for example in Fort McPherson which has just under a thousand people, it’s very difficult for the local RRC to divide that amount of money. At the end of the day, harvesters only receive maybe $100 or $200. That doesn’t go a long way when you are buying gas; that is barely a 45-gallon drum. I think we do need to take a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a few questions on 12-30. Under the disaster compensation, I see you have only budgeted $15,000. As you may recall, in this past year there was a number of people that were flooded out in both Fort McPherson and Aklavik that needed this funding. I believe out of 20-odd claims only one person was approved, so I would like a little information on that. Thank you.

As I mentioned last week, as well, most of our buildings, their life expectancy is 35 years, yet Moose Kerr School is 45 years old. When will this school be replaced? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment replied to one of my questions by stating: “If there is an asbestos issue, then we would be proactive and work with the Department of Public Works and Services and put in mitigating measures to deal with that. At this point, it hasn’t been brought to my attention if it is an issue.”

I’d like to know, since my exchange with the Minister of Education last week, if the Minister of Public Works or any of his departmental officials supplied information to the Minister of Education about asbestos in the Moose Kerr...

Information is also kept about the condition of the asbestos and the need for repairs, abatement or maintenance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister of Public Works later today.

As you know, in the Beaufort-Delta region there are almost 15 communities there so it doesn’t go a long way, but I think we need to relook at that. There are two different pots, actually, CHAP, as you mentioned and also, it is different under each land claim group, but it is the Gwich’in Harvester Assistance Program or the same under the Inuvialuit, but I think we do need to take a better look at that. There are more people wanting to go out and trap and hunt and make a partial living off of wild furs and hunting. It helps out a lot with the cost of living up in that area and I just wanted to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a few concerns along the lines that Mr. Moses brought up earlier, is the sentencing that many of the people get, whether it’s through drug trafficking or bootlegging. I know some of the community programs through the local justice programming, they’re looking at ways to deal with, I’m not sure whether it’s these issues, but I think we need to look at a different direction, and I think that we need to increase jail times. These are pretty serious things that are affecting our territory.

If you look at other jurisdictions, whether it’s Alaska or further down south, they...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a few comments for the Minister along the same lines of policing. I know the community of Fort McPherson has received an extra RCMP to manage Tsiigehtchic, and as the Minister committed to having one of the officers overnighting in Tsiigehtchic, I just have to ask the question of funding. Has the detachment in Fort McPherson received extra funding to implement that? That is one of my major concerns. I know the Minister is willing to work with the Minister of Housing to line up a place to stay, but I look forward to that and I know we are a ways off from a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I was asking about Moose Kerr School, so I have questions for the Minister of Education. As I mentioned, the school is 45 years old and built around the time that asbestos was used in many of the buildings.

I’d like to ask the Minister, has the school been tested for asbestos? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.