Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure today to welcome back my colleagues to the fourth sitting of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Also, a speedy recovery to Mr. Bouchard. I hope to see you back soon.

As MLAs we come together once again to represent our ridings and to do what we can for our people back home.

We are gathered here for the next three weeks, making decisions that will have positive impacts on the Northwest Territories, as was highlighted by the Premier earlier today.

At this time, please allow me to send my thoughts and prayers to families in the Mackenzie Delta who have lost...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, cannot support this motion at this time. I do agree with some of the investments that are listed, but I believe this process is not quite completed yet. We still need a number of people to sign on to the actual final agreement, and I believe once that is complete, then this government could move forward as to deciding where we are going to spend those funds. There are a lot of projects that the communities, the smaller communities would like to see, and I believe that some focus should be put into those areas, building up our infrastructure. We have schools, for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister: Will the department develop a police act?

There is an Aboriginal community constable that has been successful in Hay River. These constables focus on community policing, crime prevention, activities frequently engaging youth, and support efforts of community justice committees. Can we see further progress in the Aboriginal Community Constable Policing Program in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The RCMP has been part of our lives in the North since their arrival in 1904. We are proud of the relationships that our communities and the RCMP have built over the years. It is important that leaders support communities and the RCMP to continue to build on these positive working relationships. Our leaders and communities want to work alongside the RCMP to make our homes and communities a safer place to live.

Over the last couple of years, I have made a number of statements in this House concerning the lack of policing in Tsiigehtchic. There is no question in my mind...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be voting in favour of this motion. Many things have changed over the years as the territory is changing. I know it is not traditional for many people to donate their organs, but like I mentioned, many things have changed and there are a lot of people that are here in the Northwest Territories who want to help their family or friends by donating an organ. I think that that should be made available in this territory in this day and age, 2013. We need to come up to speed like many of the provinces in Canada. For that reason I am supporting this motion. Thank...

A number of years ago, I believe it was 10 to 15 years ago, we actually had somebody in the community who had a similar type of program that he’d taken and successfully passed. Will the department look at introducing special constables in the communities without police?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement today, I have questions for the Minister of Justice. It has been 40 to 50 years since the community of Tsiigehtchic, at the time Arctic Red River, has last seen an RCMP.

Short of establishing a detachment in Tsiigehtchic, what programs exist that we can put in place to help address policing and community safety in Tsiigehtchic?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we meet here today to vote on the Devolution Agreement with this motion, I believe that we have all found a common interest within our negotiations, which is very important in any negotiations.

This is a great long-term investment for the people of the Northwest Territories. When we first met here at the 17th Legislative Assembly, our vision was for strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and the responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. Another one of our main priorities was building a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say a few words on behalf of the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit support of the draft Devolution Final Agreement. The Gwich’in and Inuvialuit people have called the land in the Northwest Territories home. As a Gwich’in participant, I am proud to stand in this Legislature and say that the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit have a long history of living on the land. It is this history that proves that the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit have a rightful seat at the table when it comes time to decide how the Northwest Territories lands are used.

The Gwich’in did the right thing when...