Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s fall and we’re back to work here in the Legislature. Ahead of us, lie many hours of work and meetings indoors. I’ve always been very fond of the indoors. I’ve been in the North for 30 years and, unlike many others who call the North home, I’ve never had much of a penchant for the great outdoors. I don’t think I’ve ever been camping, I hate to admit.

But whether it was sun or rain or wind or cold…

---Laughter

…or bugs, there always seemed a very good reason to stay indoors. I haven’t travelled much and I’ve never been that curious about far away places and...

Mr. Menicoche is moving that we report progress. The motion is in order and not debatable. All those in favour of the motion? Opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear that commitment and I hope the people of the Northwest Territories are listening to that because the Premier says that we need the pipeline, and we do need the pipeline, but we do not need it under the current regime of the agreements that we have with Ottawa at this time. Is the Premier prepared to talk tough? At one time, before the application was filed, I was hearing from some people that it’s a sensitive time, we don’t want to scare them away. But this pipeline is going to do nothing but cost us money if we do not have our rightful share of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have listened with interest to the comments made in this House and in the media over the past week with respect to northern clients with disabilities who are being cared for in Alberta. I realize that there may be occasions when northern residents cannot receive very specialized services that they may require in the North, given our smaller population and more limited services.

The one group home being referred to has had difficulty with their licensing, insurance, accreditation, and they have at least nine NWT clients residing there. Mr. Speaker, I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to hear that the Premier will take this under his authority, and see that this program is intended for what it is meant to be. I will take that commitment, and that is satisfactory to me. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I realize that there are many folks out there awaiting our presence in the Great Hall to deal with the Premier’s Awards for Excellence, and that is actually the program I want to speak to before we go out there. First of all I want to confess I did not submit any nominations for this awards program, but, Mr. Speaker, I am concerned with the Minister’s statement the Premier made today when he outlined who the recipients for this were. I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade here, but, Mr. Speaker, if we are going to have awards and programs like this I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I had asked the Minister in a previous question how many northerners -- I don't need to know exactly -- I don't believe he answered that question. Does he know how many northerners are in southern placements right now currently funded by his department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger. The situation that has arisen with the group home in Edmonton around some of the problems that they were having, has brought to light and brought to the forefront again the subject of northerners being cared for in Alberta institutions, and our government's seemingly lack of ability to repatriate these northerners. So I would like to ask the Minister how many northerners with disabilities are currently being cared for outside of the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier then that these are called Premier’s awards, but it sounds like he doesn’t have any input into who gets chosen, he doesn’t finely screen the recipients in the end. Wouldn’t the Premier agree that these awards would have more meaning and would be regarded more highly if he personally would become involved in it, and if there was some sensitivity to some balance of who works in the public service in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

That's an interesting answer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

Perhaps with a little bit less vagueness the Minister could tell me approximately what kind of dollar value is associated right now with placements outside of the Northwest Territories of persons with disabilities. What kind of dollars are being expended by this government for those clients, those over one dozen? Thank you.

---Laughter