Kevin A. Menicoche

I would like to thank the Minister for that clarification. The needs are still there, Mr. Speaker.

What is the plan to ensure that Wrigley and Gameti RCMP detachments make it on the 20-year capital needs assessment? How can the Minister and what can the Minister do to ensure it at least makes that 20-year capital plan?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On Monday, October 27, 2014, the Minister of Justice said, in a CBC interview, that the Gameti and Wrigley RCMP detachments are postponed indefinitely. Seven years ago there was a commitment that the GNWT would build new detachments in those communities. As MLA for Nahendeh and the community of Wrigley, this is shocking news for me and my constituents.

This session we are deliberating and debating the capital plan for the GNWT. I believe that at the very least these two detachments be included in our 20-year capital needs assessment plan. I can’t see how this...

I would certainly welcome the Minister to the riding and we can work on something about that.

The news article also spoke about these facilities costing about $11 million to $13 million. I think in 2007, when we were discussing the possibility, we were looking at a portable and a much smaller facility. At least it had a holding cell when the RCMP were there.

What kind of facility and what kind of plans is he talking about if he wants to spend that much money for a facility? It seems quite excessive for the needs of the community. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Having discussions with our committee with the Minister of ENR with regard to purchase of the Air Tractor 802s, I certainly support the idea of replacing the CL-215s, and one of the biggest is, aside from all the technical aspects that are being discussed here in the last little bit, is we’re facing funding pressures, and once again, if we’re going to maintain the extra fleet while buying these new Air Tractors, we’re also talking about $3 million worth of resources that is much needed in the communities and regions. I liked the briefing where it says that...

The next logical question is, actually, why not? Why can’t we subsidize these people? The people in small communities deserve to be considered for the fuel prices being fixed and there must be a way to change it. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think last week, or the week before, I was raising questions with the Premier, but I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation about the cost of delivering fuel.

There is a global oil glut in the world and it’s reducing gas prices across Canada. Why aren’t those gas prices being reduced in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Robbing Peter to pay Paul I think is what the Minister said, but I don’t think that that’s the kind of solution that the government should provide to the people in the smaller communities.

I’d like to ask the Minister one more time: We just saw government write off $20 million for electrical power rate. Why can he not write off some of that money for the smaller communities that have fixed and locked-in prices?

When it comes to the cost of living, the purchase of fuel is very important for the small communities. The fuel is delivered once a year. They use it for hunting and trapping, they have to use it to heat their homes, especially in the wintertime, and these are fixed costs.

I’m asking the Minister: Will this government consider some kind of special subsidy, because the local prices are falling, they are almost down to $1.04 in Alberta and I know that eventually it will hit Yellowknife and our smaller communities that they will be reducing the costs. I would like to know, people in the small...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My colleagues here today have worked hard in organizing a theme day, but it’s important for me to respond to issues raised in this House about securities to the Minister of Lands in respect to Canadian Zinc’s Prairie Creek Mine.

It is important that our government ensure that adequate security for reclamation is in place before the proposed mine starts its activities. These securities are important to protect the health and safety of our public and the environment. Securities are important tools for government to address potential for environmental damage. At...

Certainly the community must be engaged, because in other communities like Hay River and Providence, as they were constructing their health facility, there were some things overlooked, and something simple, more in the case of Fort Liard, was missed. Those things cannot be missed, especially that we’ve got a facility that will be there for the long term. So that’s part of the planning that community residents want to see the floor plan, and I think the Minister indicated in Committee of the Whole was a level B/C facility and we want to know exactly what that is.