Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community capacity building fund is an initiative to provide some resources to the communities to work on projects that the community feels is in their best interest. There is very little criteria that was established around this fund. It was one that would be a fund that would benefit the community. It had to be demonstrated. The other one was to have all the community government organizations sign on to the application. So far, we have not received an application that has both signatures from Behchoko yet. We have had some discussions with the...

Mr. Speaker, they showed real leadership. This is something that has been a long time in the works. We have to start somewhere and we have a foundation in place. Now we have to build something on top of that. Some may feel that this AIP was rushed into. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that this process has been going on for over 30 years. I know we operate on NWT time up here, but 30 years is not rushing into anything.

---Laughter

We might not have all the groups on board right now, Mr. Speaker, but I am sure the door is being left open for them to sign when they feel like they are ready...

It is my pleasure to speak today about the recent accomplishments of staff from community governments and other community and regional organizations who have achieved program completion through the School of Community Government.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ School of Community Government works with community governments and other national and territorial partners to design programs, write curriculum and schedule courses that provide meaningful theory and practical experiences to be used by students when they return to their workplace.

Since the School of Community...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee held public meetings on Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Condominium Act, in Yellowknife on April 19th and 20th, and on May 8th in Tuktoyaktuk, and Inuvik on April 23rd, in Ulukhaktok on April 24th, in Colville Lake on April 25th, and in Behchoko on April 26th, 2007. The committee would like to thank the Minister and one presenter for appearing before the committee.

The proposed amendments will provide protection for consumers, provide direction to condo corporations on governance and financial planning, as well as broadening the scope of options available to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister if there was a particular reason this policy was brought forward. Were they having problems with employees taking advantage of medical leave forms? Is that why this policy was brought forward? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement yesterday I spoke to the practice of asking employees to sometimes provide a medical prognosis from a doctor when they get a medical leave form. Twenty-four hours later my opinion hasn’t changed. I still think it’s unfair. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent. I’d like to ask the Minister if there’s a policy in place that requires employees to have a prognosis if they’re getting a medical leave form from a doctor. Thank you.

I would like today, Mr. Speaker, to pay tribute to one of the main players of these groups.

I recently had the privilege of attending the Aboriginal Achievement Awards in Edmonton to honour a man of great vision and passion. Fred Carmichael, Mr. Speaker, has been on a quest to get, not only for the people he represents but the people of the Northwest Territories, what is rightfully ours. Fred has been a trapper, pilot, businessman and, more recently, he’s been the president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council. He has been there, he’s done that. So when he speaks, we should listen and pay attention...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll repeat once again, the medical leave form usually has a date of return from the doctor. So in his opinion, that’s when the employee can return to work and perform their duties. In my opinion, that sometimes questions the integrity of the doctors by asking for a prognosis on top of the medical leave form they’ve already given to the employer. I’d like to ask the Minister if the NWT Medical Association was consulted in any way on this particular policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The doctor's leave form says an employee can’t be at work for a week. Is that not sufficient enough? Does this apply to all employees who have received a medical leave form or just a select few? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize my wife, Judy, who’s down here on annual leave to come and watch us in the Assembly. I’d also like to recognize -- they were in the gallery just a couple of minutes ago -- two constituents of mine: Elijah and Mabel Allen, who were down also for, I think, graduation ceremonies taking place tomorrow and they thought they’d take in some of the Assembly. Thank you.

---Applause