Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to welcome Mr. Jackson Lafferty here as the Member for Monfwi. It’s wonderful to be up to full complement on this side of the House because we need all the help we can get to stay ahead of our friends on the other side of the House.

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Mr. Speaker, October 9th to 15th, 2005, is National Fire Prevention Week. I would like to take this time to acknowledge those who contribute their time and energy to help promote fire safety and fire prevention in our communities. To that end, I particularly would like to thank the courageous and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. The only matter we have on our agenda today is Minister’s Statement 24-15(4), Sessional Statement. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarity, because I am sure this is very important to the traveling public, people that are traveling on our highways would like to know that if they have the misfortune of an accident that somebody is going to come and respond to that, and for the benefit of the volunteers in Hay River, to whom should we appeal for a new ambulance for Hay River? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can I switch Ministers then in my....Okay. I didn't hear the answer. I'll address my supplementary question to the Minister of Health and Social Services. No, I can't; okay.

I would then like to ask Minister McLeod, Mr. Speaker, who is responsible for providing the equipment that our volunteer fire department uses to go and respond to motor vehicle accidents on the highway? They service a large area. One of the ambulances which is used regularly is 19 years old. Who is responsible? What government department is responsible for replacing that vehicle...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize Theresa Handley, the Premier’s wife. He said many years, but I think it is worthy of note that it is 40 years.

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Apparently, they exchanged rings and she provided her husband with a lovely polar bear diamond ring, so I assume she has decided to keep him. Thank you.

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For the information of Members, the languages in which there is simultaneous translation today are Inuvialuit and Cree. The Chair recognizes the honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. At this time, I would like to, on behalf of the Assembly, offer our condolences to Speaker Delorey and his family. He has travelled with his wife to Nova Scotia. His wife’s sister had passed away, so they are gone to attend a funeral. I will be sitting in as the Speaker in the proceedings here until Speaker Delorey returns.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister believe that industry representatives, i.e., the producers group, would be lead to believe that this fund, whatever it turns out to be that would flow to our government and aboriginal governments, is going to lessen their responsibility in terms of the negotiations on the access and benefit agreements that are being proposed by aboriginal governments up and down the valley? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, whatever the number was initially or might end up to be at the end of the day, was this amount of money considered to be some kind of an interim payment or down payment on a tentative royalty sharing program with the federal government? Is it considered a bridge or an interim down payment? Thank you.