Jackie Jacobson

Good afternoon, colleagues. Before we get started I’d like to welcome Mr. Tony Whitford, former Commissioner, Speaker, Minister, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Honourary Table Clerk here in the House. Welcome back, Tony.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly; and I have Mr. Darrin Ouellette, director of corporate services.

Yes, I do.

Members, pursuant to Motion 15-17(1) adopted by the House on Wednesday, December 7, 2011, you have agreed to interrupt our proceedings to receive the Address of His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada. Mr. Clerk, please escort His Excellency into the Chamber.

Members and honoured guests, welcome to the Legislative Assembly. When we rise for the entrance of Their Excellencies, please remain standing for a drum prayer by the Detah Drummers and singing of the national anthem by Mr. John Escalante.

---Drum Prayer

---Singing of O Canada

Welcome back to the Chamber, colleagues, to resume the First Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly.

During the month of November we met often and spent many productive hours working together, taking part in departmental briefings, identifying issues and concerns facing our territory, setting up constituency offices and staff, and becoming familiar with new portfolios.

We are forming relationships, recognizing strengths and building on the knowledge and information that has been provided – all very important as we carry out our work over the next four years.

I look forward to working with all...

It’s pretty good here.

---Laughter

Thank you, colleagues. Today I wish to begin by welcoming everyone to the Chamber today as we open the 17th Legislative Assembly. I’d like to extend my sincere thank you, on behalf of all Members, to the Dettah Drummers for their prayer song, to the Most Reverend Murray Chatlain, Bishop of the Dioceses of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, for leading us in prayer, and to Mr. Floyd Adlum of the NWT Pipe Band.

Honourable colleagues, I would like to thank you all for the trust you have placed in me by choosing me to serve as your Speaker for the 17th Legislative Assembly. As...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources represent the Government of the Northwest Territories as participants in the National Energy Board’s Arctic Offshore Drilling Review. The NEB has scheduled a roundtable meeting in Inuvik for mid-September 2011. It anticipates that phase three of its review, the public report, will be completed by the end of December 2011.

ITI has worked extensively to ensure three diamond mines to increase the number of NWT residents working at the mines and develop capacity among...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Moving on to the meeting with the federal government, will the mayors of Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik be invited, and the parties that are involved with this project be invited to the meeting?

The federal government gave us $150 million for this project to open up the highway system sea to sea to sea. I think the question that I’m asking is pretty straightforward. Do we have money in the government transportation to see if we could keep the roadwork able to start this winter for 90 kilometres standards between 177 in Tuk? The review board and that is doing the rest of the highway, but do we have funding in place that we could start?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to welcome my two daughters here, Kirstin and Mikayla, that are with me here in Yellowknife.