Kevin A. Menicoche

I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker. It’s the next item.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have the Committee Report 3-15(5) moved into the Committee of the Whole for consideration on Friday, June 2, 2006.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister spoke of needing a strategy, but I am sure they are developing a strategy like the Gameti example of this spring. Are there more plans to do that in some of the other smaller communities such as Holman, Wrigley, Nahanni Butte, for example, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on May 2, 2006, to review the 2004-2005 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner. The Committee would like to thank Ms. Shannon Gullberg, the Languages Commissioner, for appearing before us.

The 2004-2005 report does not include any recommendations, however, the committee would like to take the opportunity to comment on other issues that were raised during our public meeting.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to follow up on my request or my Member’s statement of yesterday wherein I spoke about the leasing of community health services. In recent correspondence with the Minister of Justice, he indicates to me he is working in tandem with the Department of Health and Social Services in trying to address how we best service the needs of our very small communities and one of the success stories is the operation in Gameti this year. The Department of Justice is touring the North. Is the Department of Justice going to tour the NWT? I know they are in Nunavut...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee Report 1-15(5) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs with respect to Canada’s offer to the Dehcho First Nations. Aboriginal rights and the protection of lands that balance an economically prosperous future are all issues that I have taken to heart with my responsibilities as MLA for Nahendeh. Because of the recent announcement, Mr. Speaker, I was just wondering if the government, through the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, had an opportunity to comment on the next steps this government will take with respect to this offer. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, I wholeheartedly think the communities know what is best for the communities. When it comes to recruitment and selection of staff, the same principle applies. That is why I feel small and remote communities should be able to directly participate in the recruitment and selection processes for jobs in their community.

The communities have raised these concerns because their residents are being alienated from local government jobs. They are wondering why, time and time again, local northern and aboriginal staff is being screened out and why...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The committee will also continue to pursue the objectives explicitly included in our mandate, which are:

the comprehensive overview of the GNWT’s budget and fiscal framework;

the consideration of bills, budgets and financial management of the Department of the Executive, including the executive offices, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and the Financial Management Board Secretariat, and the Department of Finance;

examination of Auditor General’s reports;

examination of the reports of statutory offices including the Commissioner of Official Languages, the...

I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker. It’s the next item.