Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak on our justice system and offer one suggestion as to why our jailhouses are full. We have all heard the phrase: “If you do the hard time, you will do the tough time.” In Nahendeh, there is another phrase: “If you do petty crime, you will do a long time.”

Mr. Speaker, what I am referring to is the growing number of constituents who are expressing their concern that they are being advised to plead guilty or accept sentencing conditions without adequate legal advice or other proceedings. I have constituents who are being advised...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. My comments and questions are also with the continuation of the operation of the Deh Cho Hall. I just want to advise my honourable colleagues that this is not a new project, nor is it something that came out of the blue. It’s something that myself as MLA for Nahendeh and Fort Simpson that I’ve been working with the people on, on how to address the office needs. In 2002, when the fire marshal came out with his report, he’s saying that in 2006 the building is going to have to be shut down or renovated. Everybody said that’s great, let’s just renovate this...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know that the Housing Corporation has been having lots of problems delivering programs to the regions. I know that this is one of the ways that they want to address it. I know they have been asking for positions time and time again and there is just no support for it then. But now that the federal government is contributing some $50 million and we have a chance to get housing on the move beginning immediately, I am going to vote against this motion.

Often when I am travelling to the regions and communities and talking about their frustrations about getting their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the standardized testing is something new that we are gauging our students in the North on. With the initial results, does the Minister have an interim plan, or will he look at some type of plan to address what the core issues are? I understand there was a small school report that was done three or four years ago. It spoke in there about classroom size and just the range of students being serviced by one or two teachers was an issue. Is there an initial plan or some kind of overview that the Minister will address this issue with? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fate of the flat-rate power debate, one-rate zone, what is it? What are we debating about? How will it affect me and my constituents? These are questions constituents have been expressing to me over and over again. The Public Utilities Board is submitting the rates that is due this fall. Under the current situation, large and hydro communities benefit while small communities that rely on diesel powered generators will be hit hard. When I think of this government’s approach on the flat-rate debate, I ask, can this government evaluate all the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee would like to consider Bill 3, Bill 4, Committee Report 3-15(5), and Bill 5. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is my honour to provide this motion to the House for consideration. It’s just one of the things that constituents of mine and the artistic communities throughout the North have always been looking for assistance to help them develop their trade, their craft and, indeed, too, all the micro industries like all the basket makers in Fort Liard and the slipper makers in Wrigley and just throughout the valley, Mr. Speaker.

I had the opportunity to travel to Alaska, Mr. Speaker, and I saw this in action. We actually went to visit a hospital in Alaska and we...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My written question is for the Minister of Justice.

Please provide the number of charges per month since 2002 in the Fort Simpson district;

the number of convictions per month since 2002 in the Fort Simpson district;

the conviction ratio per month since 2002 in the Fort Simpson district; and

the number of charges per year and number of convictions since 2002 in the Fort Simpson district.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Honourable Brendan Bell, the Minister of ITI. I’d just like to tell the Minister that for several years now I’ve been trying to track down this SINED fund and I found it in today’s News/North.

---Laughter

The Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, they’ve changed their name again, too, by the way, Mr. Speaker, and they’re calling it now TIPs, Targeted Investment Program. I’m just wondering, how is our Department of ITI involved in this and how can we support that project to tap into these funds? Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another item that the actual article speaks about, Mr. Speaker, is that the challenges of the parents or single parents in the smaller communities helping their children. Is there some type of plan that the department would look at in order to assist our families back in the smaller communities in helping their children as well? I know that as more of our adult population returns to school, it just becomes more of a…students can look up to their parents and community more. Is there another way of helping our adult population out there help their children, Mr...