Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister has now provided a more clear and forceful response on this question, but my question still remains: what would happen if there was a fire in Norman Wells? God forbid, but if there was a fire in Norman Wells, how would the community respond if they put their fire department on hold? I know that the Minister is working at arm's length on this, but I would like to hear that there is a plan for response and that it's going to take effect immediately. Thank you.

I am aware that the municipality of Norman Wells runs its own fire department, but clearly there is a problem there that has resulted in a "pause" in the operation of the fire department. My question is really: what kind of assistance can the Minister offer the municipality of Norman Wells to ensure that residents are protected from fire if one were to occur?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I beg your pardon. I would like to request a recorded vote.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's answer. One of the debates we had at the time that contract was going to go out was the relative advantages of module homes versus stick-built homes. Given what she has learned from this contract, does the Minister now have a preference for one kind of housing over the over? Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I move that this Assembly recommend that the Department of Health and Social Services partner with its fellow social envelope departments, community governments, and community organizations to develop a pilot program centred on ensuring that Northerners completing residential treatment are not discharged into homelessness but instead are connected with housing opportunities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for that response, to the Minister. I would just like to get a little more detail. So, of these 14 units that have or will be tendered out, what are the completion times on that?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will just build on the point that the chair of the standing committee made. Other immediate advantages to southern treatment include privacy where people are not among a group of people who they may live in the same community as or be related to, closely or not. They are able to have a certain amount of anonymity in these facilities. That seems to be something that they desire.

Secondly, the facilities have large capacities, so it is possible to get a bed for treatment almost immediately. There is no need to go on a waiting list and to wait months for a treatment option...

I rise to express my support to my colleagues on both sides of the House for supporting this motion. I think it represents a milestone that we can all be proud of in moving our territory towards gender equality. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS women comprise half of the population of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS women have been under-represented, accounting for no more than 15 per cent of Members of the Legislative Assembly in any given Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the lack of representation by women may have resulted in the creation of legislation and policy that does not take their needs and concerns fully into account, to the detriment of all Northwest Territories residents;

AND WHEREAS the Northwest Territories has the lowest percentage of women Members of a Legislative Assembly in Canada, while...

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. If the Status of Women Council's role is not to promote the accomplishments of women through the Wise Women Awards, as one example, what is the role of the Status of Women Council going forward?