Jane Groenewegen

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a page from Hay River who is a grade 8 student at Diamond Jenness Secondary School and thank him for serving us in the Assembly this week — Zachary Pangborn.

Mr. Chair, the wish of the committee is to deal with everything you’ve just listed in that order.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad this motion is being brought forward today. I, obviously, support it. I think we could spend a lot of time and money reviewing the BIP again. In fact, the BIP does not cost this government very much money.

As Mr. Hawkins said and as the motion says, if we delete the BIP or get rid of it, we will not have an opportunity to get it back. Most companies that are bidding…. Where it’s northern company against northern company, a preference or a premium does not even come into play. So in fact, it does not cost this government anything. I think the dollar value that’s...

Mr. Speaker, again, as we learned through the Deh Cho Bridge project, when you have a proponent that is a private corporation, transparency becomes an issue, as does our government’s ability to control some matters like procurement.

I would like to ask the Premier if any policy developed by this government that is related to public–private partnerships would include an element that would speak to the issue of northern participation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. We’re about to head out, here, for a while, and we’ve heard the Premier talk about a potential project to build a highway down the Mackenzie Valley. There have been proponents out there who have suggested this should be done on the basis of a P3 project. I’d just like to ask the Premier if he’ll assign any contracts for a highway down the Mackenzie Valley before we get back in September.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s the last day of session, and I will be glad to be going home. When I first came here at the beginning of session I was one of the ones who said, “Let’s not waste our beautiful summer days in here.” I saw ice on the lake and buds on the trees when we got here, but we’ve gone through a change of season.

I was one of the ones who said, “Let’s not try to beat this untenable budget document to death here. Let’s just go back to the drawing board and come back.” But a number of Members wanted to persevere and press on, and they did. Between reinstatements, reinvestments...

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Recently the Minister issued a directive with respect to enrolment in French first-language schools in the Northwest Territories, stating that those admitted for enrolment in these schools will be entitled under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and/or by Ministerial approval.

I’d like to ask the Minister: how does this directive differ or vary from the practice that has been in place in the past with respect to enrolment?

I’d like to thank the Minister for that answer. My constituent will be listening.

The other thing I had raised with the Minister but wanted to put on the public record is the use of the facilities at Escarpment Creek. Escarpment Creek is a unique geological area. It is in a park that was designated for camping. Now it is gated off, and it’s available only for group activities at a rate of $300 per event.

I’d like to ask the Minister if, when considering the facilities, the rates, and so on, he’d consider Escarpment Creek being opened up again so that people driving by could stop in and take a...

Again, I realize that those looking on from the outside might not consider this to be a big issue, but it has dragged on for a long time. It has caused division in the community. Again, not wanting to hold the contractor up but not wanting to discredit the concerns of those folks — just general townspeople who think it’s good to have a liquor retail store located in the downtown, where there are sidewalks and adequate parking and so on — could the Premier commit to attending a meeting, perhaps, with all the stakeholders and parties involved to see if there is a solution that the government...

It is an issue: a big issue. It can become a big issue in a small town. It seems that most of the angst is around the whole issue of the location of the liquor store. Again, as the grantor of the contract does the Premier feel that there is any influence he could bring to bear to resolve this too long outstanding issue?