Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. General comments. Next on the list I have Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Lots of houses for sale in Hay River. I just thought I’d throw that in there.

One of the other things that we’ve seen is with the mining companies that come in here. They have trained our northern people, they have employed our northern people, but it is even easier for them to go live in St. Albert or Spruce Grove. We’ve had out-migration. One of the side effects of our people getting jobs at the mine is that they say, you know what, it’s easier to live in Spruce Grove than it is to live in Behchoko, and we’ve had out-migration as a result of that.

What can we do about...

Total department for Environment and Natural Resources, not previously authorized, negative $1.067 million.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Law enforcement, not previously authorized, $840,000.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

We are, I’m sure, aware of the challenges faced by these companies, as well, in attracting and recruiting people to work for them, regardless of whether they live in the North or the South, just getting the manpower or the labour force that they need to operate their mines. But I’d like to ask the Minister, in his discussions with the three diamond mines, is it his sense that they are aware of our plight in the need to see more benefit from these resources that we are extracting from our territory and the absolute advantages of having these folks live in the North. Thank you.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, operations expenditures, activity, corporate management, not previously authorized, negative $104,000.

Thank you. Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Kalgutkar.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. No comment from the Minister? Mr. Ramsay.