Frame Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Merci, Monsieur le President. My statement earlier today focused on the need to begin planning and budgeting for a new permanent home for the new Northern Frontier Visitors Centre. Does the Minister of tourism agree that it is inequitable and obviously unsustainable to expect the Northern Frontier Visitors Association to foot the cost of a Yellowknife visitor centre when centres in Inuvik, Dawson, and at the border are fully funded by GNWT? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 69)

Merci, Monsieur le President. There has been a lot of shock and uncertainty over the closure of the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre here in Yellowknife. I firmly believe this could have been avoided through adequate and equitable support from our government. We have been without a visitors centre for 10 days now. A temporary home has been found, until summer’s end, at the museum. Now we need to concentrate on a longer-term location to support the large, growing, and sustainable tourism sector in Yellowknife.

Aurora tourism has soared from a $6-million industry in 2010 to $40 million in 2015...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the elder who was here earlier who gave our opening prayer, Mary Louise Drygeese. She made my lovely vest and I'm very proud to wear it in this House. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The only thing I would like to say is I want to thank the committee again for all the work that was done, our staff that helped us get us to this point very ably, and I do want to thank all the Members for their passionate discussion yesterday. I think it was useful to have those matters discussed in public; it wasn't an easy discussion. I know that we will continue to work together on all of those issues as MLAs in this House. So once again, thanks to everybody for their thoughtful submissions yesterday. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the conflict of interest provisions of the Legislative Assembly and the Executive Council Act and other relevant legislation policy be the subject of a public review before the end of the 18th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act be amended to expand the duties of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner to include oversight of the Members' Conduct Guidelines or Code of Conduct; and further, that the Commissioner be empowered to receive and investigate complaints from a Member or any other person respecting breaches of prescribed conduct and to recommend sanctions or penalties as appropriate to the Speaker; and furthermore, that the newly constituted Commissioner be known as the Ethics Commissioner. Thank you...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

There is a potential for a conflict of interest when the mineral industry advisory board provides advice to the Minister generally, and in this specific case of the Work Credit Program, what is the Minister prepared to do to deal with this issue of potential for a conflict of interest and to improve transparency around the recommendations he gets from this board?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Can the Minister tell us why there was no consultation with the standing committee on the extension of the Work Credit Program for another two years? Merci, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Merci, Monsieur le President. On March 8th our government issued the media release "GNWT Extends Key Mineral Exploration Support Program." The release describes the extension of the Work Credit Program, which sets the value of exploration work required to keep mineral claims in good standing. Claim holders are now credited $1.50 for every eligible dollar spent. The release says the program originally "arose from recommendations made by the Mineral Industry Advisory Board."

I fully recognize that mining is important here, so we want to protect the integrity of our decision-making on this section...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 68)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. During the course of the committee's work, we had some submissions that mentioned that we should be looking at our conflict of interest provisions and make sure that they reflect best practices, particularly as a result of our government assuming new legislative authority and management responsibility over lands and resources. In line with that new responsibility, it does seem reasonable, and it was certainly reasonable in the view of the committee, that we should also take a look at our accountability as a government, and thus you have the recommendation before you. I...