Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are getting somewhere with this so it’s good, it’s a good sign. I guess we’re at the end of our term here. We’re here until next week, but the Minister is still in his capacity until the next couple months. So I would like to find out if the Minister could meet with the community chief, the Tlicho Government and myself to move forward with this possibly I’m hoping next week? If he could commit to that, to sit down about that initiative. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker…(Translation)…earlier, my statement that I made, there’s a sports complex in Behchoko. They have a lot of activities happening in the sportsplex, but it has been closed for awhile for renovations and there were monies allotted to renovate it. (Translation ends)

…our government of Behchoko community and allocated funds from their capacity building fund towards the Behchoko sportsplex, the soon-to-be multi-purpose building, for a comprehensive retrofit and expansion. The redesign will turn the building into a multi-purpose hall including a library, youth centre...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Mr. Speaker, I will make a statement regarding the youth. In our Tlicho land, we have youth that play soccer. They have been in this sport for many years. They are recognized across our country not only here, but also in the United States. They also went to Europe for a tournament.

As a government, I have mentioned this many times in the past. So we are very happy that they win their tournaments. They went to the United States for a tournament and they came back in second place. As their families, parents, brothers and sisters, we are very happy. We...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move we report progress. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 7, Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act; Committee Report 4-15(6), Report on Community Consultation on Proposed Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Legislation; and Committee Report 15-(6), Report on the Review of the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s 2005-2006 Annual Report. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 6-15(6) moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration today. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on May 16, 2007, to review the 2005-2006 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The committee would like to thank the Commissioner, Ms. Elaine Keenan-Bengts, for her report and for her appearance before the committee.

The NWT Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, or ATIPP, came into force on December 31, 1996. The purpose of the act is to make public bodies more accountable and protect personal privacy by giving the public a right to access, with limited exceptions...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister is willing to sit down with our current Tlicho leadership. At the same time, I’d like to get some sort of a commitment from the Minister and his department to move forward with this initiative. I realize capacity building is a one-time fund, which really helped out a lot of our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask my follow-up question to the Minister. Is the Minister of MACA open for partnership where the Tlicho Government, Behchoko Community Government, come out with some funds towards this important project. Could the Minister also...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, on the office space and also the accommodation for the staff that would be transferred to the community, I’m sure they will be needing some accommodations instead of commuting back and forth. As my colleague highlighted, the road is in bad shape so I don’t think they will be commuting back and forth. Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Premier is, when could you provide that information to myself so I can sit down with my chiefs and move forward with this? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my next question was to get into detailed questions, but I can probably wait. The next question I have is the Tlicho Government continues in effect as in all two years ago. It is imperative that the GNWT respects the self-governance of the Tlicho people. How soon can we anticipate the building of this staff housing? Mahsi.