Jane Groenewegen

Does the Minister have numbers available as to how many adults and how many children are currently... This is just an appropriation for additional funds. Does the Minister have a number of people that are in care, adults and children, and what the total cost is? Because I don’t think we are seeing the full picture here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

In his response that was shared with Members, the Premier asked Avalon to work with the GNWT to develop a plan that would allow Avalon to locate its processing plant in the NWT. Initial discussions have occurred. The Premier also suggested that the proposal to the federal government might be another way to ensure this project was to proceed. The comments in this article also have a damaging effect on public perception as it seems like Mr. Voytilla is also the spokesperson for the PUB, who is talking about blended rates and the cost of power to the public if this should go ahead.

I think there...

I think maybe my question is on something else, it’s not that number I’m questioning.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee, I believe, would like to deal with the last department in the budget, the Department of Human Resources, and then move on to Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, Supplementary Appropriation No. 1 and then Bill 2, time permitting, Forgiveness of Debts Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I can fully understand why Members representing small communities would consider having a nurse resident in the community to be a very important thing. Access sounds nice, but it doesn’t address the issue of emergencies and just, I suppose, the comfort level people have knowing that there is a qualified health care professional in the community should the need to receive services arise. It’s complicated, the answer, but does the Minister at least acknowledge the issue around the quality of life that’s realized in these small communities if they had a resident health care...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to ask a question to the Minister of Health and Social Services while I have this opportunity today. I’ve be listening to my colleague Mr. Krutko and my colleague Mr. Menicoche talk about the nursing services for Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley and even with all the debate and questions that’s gone back and forth, I still don’t really understand one thing. Is the ability to put nurses in these communities a financial consideration? Is it about the financial resources in order to do this?

The Minister doesn’t sound very supportive of the vote from the fishermen to be removed from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. Again, I don’t really understand what the liabilities are. Is he talking about financial liabilities? Is there some outstanding debt that needs to be paid? Do we owe something to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation? I’m not understanding that. And as far as the legislation passed in this House, what is the department doing to bring forward whatever change in legislation needs to be enacted in order to see our fishery stand alone from the Freshwater Fish...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

That’s all I have to say. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if teachers coming into the Northwest Territories who will be teaching in a cross-cultural setting, is there currently a formal training module, orientation to the culture of the North that is required to be taken by teachers who will be teaching in our communities? Thank you.