Kevin A. Menicoche

I know it can be argued that the transportation cost to the remote communities is additional tax to these communities.

Has the department looked at not applying a transport tax so that we can lower the fuel prices into our small and remote communities? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is only getting more expensive to live and work in our remote communities in the Northwest Territories. Fuel prices are the main driver of the cost of living. Many of our remote communities, like Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte, are supplied with fuel through the petroleum products division of the Department of Public Works. They have once again increased the fuel prices.

Elders in my riding tell me they are very concerned about the most recent increase in the fuel prices. Most elders are on a fixed income, and fuel prices have a direct impact on the quality of...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Page Program, I would like to say congratulations and a job well done to Dylan Steeves and Brandon Hardisty from Fort Liard, as well as their chaperon, Chris Leckenby. I want to say to their parents that they did well and they made Fort Liard proud. I hope you saw them performing on TV.

Also, if I may, Mr. Speaker, just let the Pages know that many MLAs were Pages and some of them are even sitting here today. Mahsi cho.

Certainly, there will be a role for early childhood workers. I’d like to ask the Minister what the plan is to assist education with early childhood workers as we move forward with junior kindergarten.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to ask questions and let the Minister of Education and my constituents know that junior kindergarten, despite questions and concerns from Yellowknife Members, is a good thing for our small communities.

So, what I’d like to ask the Minister firstly, which communities currently do not have any licenced child care programming? Thank you.

The report also talks about morbidity rates, particularly amongst the Dene, Inuit and Metis people is 1.5 times higher, so what’s happening is that more and more Aboriginal people are dying of cancer and some of it is because we are in the smaller communities.

I’d like to ask the Minister, has he reviewed the report, looked at the morbidity rates, most particularly amongst the Aboriginal people, and what will the department do about that?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in the day I did my Member’s statement on cancer and cancer screening in the smaller communities. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, how does the Minister explain the uneven levels of cancer screening in communities of different sizes and what will be done about it? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. There’s more and more concern about cancer in the communities of Nahendeh. People believe that the rate of cancer is increasing. That alone should tell us that more support is needed in our small communities. More information is needed along with better support for people who do have cancer. Some sharing circles have been held and that is a good thing. More sharing circles for families should take place so that there is consistency in this form of support.

I have seen the numbers in the recent report on cancer in the Northwest Territories and it doesn’t look...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In our small communities there’s a potential of increasing employment with early childhood workers and the junior kindergarten. Can the Minister confirm that?

Thank you very much. So, the plan to roll out junior kindergarten, is that coming this fall?