Joe Handley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said before, I recognize the amount of work and time that's spent working with the Tlicho people, and also have to balance the responsibilities of the North Slave executive offices and other departments with the work they're doing with the Akaitcho and the Metis and the other people in this area. But, Mr. Speaker, I will take a look at it, I will take a look at what the workload is, and certainly we have no hesitation about moving offices to Behchoko if the work and the economics of it really work out. We'd have to look at office space and housing and so on as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an interesting proposal to have more of the North Slave region located in Behchoko. Mr. Speaker, it’s something I’d want to think about. It’s something I’d like to take a look at the load of the North Slave offices and various departments. I know their responsibility is certainly for the Tlicho people. It’s also for the Akaitcho and for the North Slave, Metis in the North Slave and Yellowknife in some cases as well. So, Mr. Speaker, it’s an interesting one. There’s nothing saying everything has to be in Yellowknife. Certainly we’ll take a look at it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In order to follow the process as I understand it, I would ask that if there’s interest by the Members that the chair of whichever is the appropriate committee make the request of us and then we would respond, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With each of the mines there is a socio-economic agreement with the GNWT. That socio-economic agreement requires that the mines submit annual, if not semi-annual, reports. Mr. Speaker, I think if the committees within our government have not already done so, and they may have, then I think it’s incumbent upon us to take a look at those socio-economic agreements as a first step and then see where we want to follow up with the mine managers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Member’s right. The Mackenzie Valley pipeline isn’t the only show in the Territories. There’s mining opportunities and so on. The bridge, as the Member has mentioned, is one other. Mr. Speaker, those are all possibilities and they’re still being considered with the manufacturer of these convertible houses. The requirement, though, will be that we have an affordable package, and there are still some design issues. We have some requirements for double walls and double floors and so on that the manufacturer has to take into consideration. In the end this has to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my understanding that the proponent is ready to accept the Novel housing concept, but we are waiting for the federal government to give us word on whether or not they are partnering in this program. Without the federal government, this project just doesn’t work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if there was office space there, if there was housing and there was no additional cost to us, then I'd want to talk to the staff about why this couldn't happen. Now, I have to respect that we just hired a regional director. I don't know his commitments in Yellowknife; that's where he was living, I believe, when we hired him. But, Mr. Speaker, as I said to the Member, I'll take a look at it and if everything is there and it costs us no additional money, then I'm not against it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, our people are working on a protocol right now and there have been regular meetings between our departments that are involved delivering services in the Tlicho with the Tlicho governance. So, Mr. Speaker, we want to continue with that and I think it’s something we’re working on and something that means some dialogue both ways. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure that it’s my place to write a letter on behalf of the Legislative Assembly asking someone to come and appear here. I’m the Premier for the government, but I can’t assume over here. So, Mr. Speaker, again I’ll say that I think the proper way of doing it is through the committees and I would urge whichever committee the Members feel is appropriate to do a letter to the Minister responsible, the Minister of ITI or myself, asking that we appear or that we invite the mine managers to appear there. Mr. Speaker, as far as having someone come into Committee of the Whole here...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say that my understanding is that the process would be, normally, usually, that we would call witnesses to committee, whether it was GED or AOC or whatever, and then they would respond to issues you’ve raised. Mr. Speaker, I’m not 100 percent sure about calling witnesses before Committee of the Whole, how that works within our rules but, Mr. Speaker, my suggestion that we try to do it through the committee structure first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. But the answer is yes, we’ll do it one way or the other.