Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister tell us the status of the development of the prescription drug monitoring program and when we might expect to see a recommendation that could be shared with the social development committee? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I noticed recently that ministerial staff have started to describe themselves as special advisors. I am wondering if that is just a title change or whether there are other implications to that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I wonder if I could have some detail about the grant to the NWT Literacy Council which happened two fiscal years ago and was then discontinued. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm wondering, I see here that there is a plan to improve communications. I'm wondering if all four of those positions that are being created in the Executive are to support this open government plan or whether they have other duties as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Finance would like us to buy into the need for a $150-million operating surplus to spend on infrastructure. Housing is not listed in that list in yesterday's budget but roads are. What I'm looking for is some justification, some quantification of the benefits of this road, and I'm wondering at what point in this process that that will be produced. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, my question is whether there is a cost-benefit analysis available on the proposed road to Whati and, if so, if it could be tabled here?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently, the GNWT's Department of Transportation applied for permits to build an allseason road to Whati. The proposed 94-kilometre road will connect the community of 500 people with Highway No. 3 and the NWT road system and it will stop within 50 kilometres of a polymetallic deposit owned by Fortune Minerals that may one day become a mine. Still, Fortune Minerals needs to raise $589 million to make that dream come true, and its stock is trading for pennies a share.

The hitch is that the GNWT doesn't have the money to spend on the road to Whati or any other...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wonder if I could get some information about why we're leasing office space in Ottawa. Thank you.

This is more a comment. It's my understanding from the president of Indspire that $125,000 worth of scholarships were given out in the NWT in the last year to students. It seems like a pretty good investment to provide that kind of support for the $125,000 in return, although I understand the Minister's rationale for not going with the ongoing support of the event itself. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm wondering if the Minister could just give a quick rationale for deciding not to continue funding to the Indspire Awards.