Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Mr. John Kearney, president of Canadian Zinc and frequent visitor to the community of Fort Simpson. Welcome to the gallery. Mahsi.

Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment immediately commence planning to ensure that a new school and gymnasium is included in the multi-year capital plan for the community of Trout Lake. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I seek Committee of the Whole’s indulgence. Can we turn back to page 10-17, Education, Culture and Employment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that when clients get a refusal letter from income support, at the bottom it says contact this person for an appeal if you are not comfortable with the decision. Our Housing Corporation letters say nothing of the sort. It doesn’t even say if you have a mechanism of appeal. That is what the people want. I believe this appeal system should be in place as soon as possible. Once again, is the Minister saying we are looking at April 1st? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up with the Minister of Housing on the line of questioning that Mr. Krutko had with regard to an appeal system. That is something that I have been working with the Minister and previous Ministers in establishing an appeal system for the clients out there. The people that are telling them no aren’t the people we should be appealing to, Mr. Speaker. That is why we are looking towards setting up an independent appeal system. In fact, it was approved last fiscal year. They had the appeal system. Where exactly is this appeal system, Mr. Speaker?

With the couple of contracts that the Minister did speak about, do we have to wait until the new fiscal year, April 1st, to get those tendered out, or is the work and process underway to get those contracts into the system and into the public’s hands?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to ask a follow-up on my Member’s statement and ask the Minister of Transportation some questions with regard to carry-overs in my riding. Last year we had a huge opportunity to provide some chipsealing towards Fort Simpson, reconstruct Highway No. 7 from the B.C. border to Fort Liard, and complete the Nahanni Butte access road. Unfortunately, we were unable to do it. I’d like to ask the Minister what the plans are to complete these projects this coming fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker... [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken many times in the past about the need to improve the roads that link the communities of the Nahendeh riding and I would like to speak about it again. I am pleased with the chipseal work to be done on Highway No. 1 this year and the improvements to the access road to Jean Marie River, the construction of the access road for Nahanni Butte and the Shale Creek Bridge upgrade. I trust that the Department of Transportation will have everything scheduled by now and the work will be completed without a hitch this spring...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I initially was thinking that because they reprofiled the money and went in front of committee with the reprofile and just listening to the Minister’s arguments that they’re looking at assisting and augmenting some of the programs that we have in the regions and the communities, that’s something that I certainly would like to see, and I think Mr. Bromley, the mover of the motion, was quite adamant about not setting up another steering committee and making a bureaucratic process. Of course, it’s a concern for all MLAs, that the last thing we need is more...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do have a committee motion I would like to read in. I am going to distribute it.