Kevin A. Menicoche

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, firstly I would like to welcome all the Members back to the Legislative Assembly for this spring session. Spring is here and the buzz is in the air in Nahendeh, and the buzz is not that spring came early, but it’s about the recent announcement the Premier made regarding $50 million for the extension of the highway along the Ingraham Trail. More and more I’m hearing it being referred to as Joe’s highway.

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Mr. Speaker, I’m not against infrastructure enhancement or expansion in other regions of the Northwest Territories. Regional and community...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just, once again, the situation particularly in Fort Simpson is that this shift in hours has really impacted the way that people do business. Previously you were able to go to Hay River and Fort Liard, in particular day trips and then back to the community of Fort Simpson. Just, again, I know that the ministry is working hard at getting the engineers and I would just like to urge, on behalf of the Nahendeh residents, to proceed in haste in getting these engineers. Just for question purposes I guess, Mr. Speaker, when is the Minister’s best estimate in...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Nahendeh Fiddlers. They will be out in the Great Hall. I have Mr. Lewis Beck, Gerda Hazenberg, Stella Pellisey, and all the youngsters from Wrigley and Fort Simpson. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just, once again, the situation particularly in Fort Simpson is that this shift in hours has really impacted the way that people do business. Previously you were able to go to Hay River and Fort Liard, in particular day trips and then back to the community of Fort Simpson. Just, again, I know that the ministry is working hard at getting the engineers and I would just like to urge, on behalf of the Nahendeh residents, to proceed in haste in getting these engineers. Just for question purposes I guess, Mr. Speaker, when is the Minister’s best estimate in...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Nahendeh Fiddlers. They will be out in the Great Hall. I have Mr. Lewis Beck, Gerda Hazenberg, Stella Pellisey, and all the youngsters from Wrigley and Fort Simpson. Mahsi cho.

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I move that we report progress.

In fact, in all of our policies and guidelines, of the key words missing is quality construction. We are making it adequate. We are making it accessible and affordable, but the biggest single concern that is brought to my attention time and time again is quality; quality in construction and, indeed, quality in providing the services and programming that the people have. Often, they get frustrated with the multi-layered bureaucracies that even the one department has.

Mr. Speaker, some of the functions that were there before are no longer there anymore. Once, in the act, it called for a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Members of this and previous assemblies have expressed concerns about the extent and quality of reporting by the NWT Housing Corporation to the Legislative Assembly and the resulting impact on the ability of committees to perform their oversight function;

AND WHEREAS Members and the Auditor General of Canada have expressed concerns with certain business activities and decisions of the NWT Housing Corporation;

AND WHEREAS there is a critical need for adequate, accessible and affordable housing in NWT communities;

AND WHEREAS Members are not confident that the NWT...

Good Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just one more time, will the Minister conduct an assessment? He said he would bring it to the attention of his officials, but I was just looking to see that he will conduct an assessment soon. I am sure there are some leases coming up here shortly as well. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad to get that clarified because there are lots of misconceptions out there, especially, like I said, in the small communities who depend…Our hybrid vehicle is the four-by-four.

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Just with that, is the government even looking at hybrids themselves before they start forcing other people to move to smaller vehicles? Thank you.