Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for keeping us on track. With that, I’d just like to ask the Minister when we can see results of that in the community of Fort Liard.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be happy to restate that question. What kind of work are the departments of Health and Social Services and Education doing to improve early childhood programs in Fort Liard?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement on the lack of social workers in Fort Liard with the Minister of Health and Social Services. Currently, like I had indicated, they have been short staffed all summer. It’s really impacting the health and wellness of the community. When can the people of Fort Liard expect to see another social worker at work in the community of Fort Liard?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee wishes to deliberate Tabled Document 64-17(3), NWT Capital Estimates 2013-2014, with a continuation of Health and Social Services, Justice, and perhaps get into Education, Culture and Employment.

Can the Minister inform me when the Healthy Family Program will be brought to Fort Liard? What is the scheduling date for that program?

I look forward to that information. The point is that it’s a critical need and I’m hoping that the Minister can urge working with the Human Resources department to ensure that position is being filled and that the gap that’s there now has coverage.

On another line of questioning with regard to early childhood education, what kind of work is the Department of Health and Social Services doing right now to improve childhood programs in Fort Liard?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again there is only one social worker in Fort Liard. There are two positions but one is vacant. When this happens, it is very stressful for the remaining social worker and when she’s away, the community is usually without help.

The social workers provide an essential service, helping families in times of hardship, need, and great stress. Such times are often hard on children too. We all know that sinking feeling that occurs when a whole bunch of things go wrong all at once. Unfortunately, there have been many deaths in Fort Liard this year and that is how people in...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think part of the strategy, of course, is to include Highway No. 7 in the Tourism Strategy, if the Minister can also work toward that. Mahsi.

Thank you very much. I just wanted to make the point that it was exceptionally dry this year and the highway was in good shape. I’m pretty sure that the tourism numbers are up on Highway No. 7. I just want to make the point that with continued effort and working on Highway No. 7 with reconstruction, we can continue to have a good highway system with Highway No. 7.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he can give me those tourism numbers as well as a commitment about some kind of strategy to advise tourists about Highway No. 7. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to congratulate the newly elected Village of Fort Simpson councillors and the DEA council. But firstly, congratulations to Mr. Mayor Sean Whelly, who was acclaimed as mayor of Fort Simpson. It shows the confidence residents have in him by returning him for a second term. Congratulations to the newly elected Village of Fort Simpson council members: Mr. Larry Campbell, Mr. Robert Hanna, Mrs. Leah Keats, Ms. Marie Lafferty, Mr. Ron McCagg, Mrs. Stella Nadia, Mrs. Renalyn Pascau-Matte and Mr. Tom Wilson.

I also commend those who were not elected, for...