Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently I received a call from Nahanni Butte and the topic, of course, is power and continues to be a concern over there, the power rates. Absolutely, the single biggest impact for granny from Nahanni is the high cost of power. I'm not too sure who to ask this to there, Mr. Speaker. I know that we have a territorial power support. Is there anything in the plan, are we going to augment it, add to it to help our people in our communities, especially another way of helping out the elders in there? With that, Mr. Speaker, I'll pass it over to the...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight has reviewed Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2006, and Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2006-2007, and wishes to report that Bills 8 and 10 are now ready for Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just with respect to the scheduled service for the ferries, the Minister can probably correct me if I am wrong, but I think Fort Simpson is the only one on scheduled service, so I don’t know how the department is saving money on all the ferries when there is only one service being impacted here. So how much longer will the Minister keep Fort Simpson on a scheduled basis and keep us stranded on our island? Thank you.

Thank you very much, honourable colleagues. In the past, these discussions became frustrated by suggestions such as BOB. Although this has some serious undertones and undermines aboriginal contributions of this jurisdiction, we must nevertheless continue these discussions. Together we can change exclusivity of a territorial name that does not reflect the present people and land. Together we can honour the people of our past and diverse culture of the present through this initiative. It is time this Assembly is committed in uniting the communities and their leadership to discuss important...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he can provide me with current and ongoing analysis as it goes on and perhaps an indication of whether they are going to lift that scheduled service for Fort Simpson. Once again, I would like to stress that it’s the only ferry that’s on a scheduled service, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation. Hopefully he hears my question, Mr. Speaker. It’s with respect to the ferry situation in Fort Simpson. It has been on an hourly service for some time for a couple of years, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he can tell me why is the Fort Simpson ferry on an hourly service. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, why doesn’t our land have a name that we can call our own? When I first got into office, it was under the premise that I would be striving for a new North, a prosperous North, a united North, a North that would be leading not only Canada but also the world in many areas. This can and must be initiated by a new image and a new name, a re-branding.

What is in a name? For most cultures, including aboriginals, a name symbolizes more than just an identification of a point on a map. It tells a story of our present and, most importantly, the past of the lands and its peoples. It...

WHEREAS section 16.(2) of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Act provides that the Human Rights Commission is composed of such members, between three and five in number, as may be appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS two of the five Commission appointments will expire on June 30, 2006;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management is tasked with recommending individuals to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is prepared to make a recommendation to the Commissioner;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, this week I was saddened to hear that the hardest drug made it to a small community in my riding. The Deh Cho Drum reported that there was a bust, a crack cocaine bust, in Wrigley. Apparently people were travelling all the way from Edmonton to sell the drugs into Wrigley, and that’s a long way to sell these drugs. I believe it’s a precursor of things to come; just the tip of things to come. We need precious policing resources in our communities long before development, Mr. Speaker.

As well, the editorial part of the Deh Cho Drum, Mr...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Terry Villeneuve, a former constituent and anytime you want to move back to Simpson, please do. Thank you.

---Laughter

---Applause