Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will add a few comments onto this. I like what I see in a lot of this. I kind of look at everything in black and white. I think things are usually pretty simple, like Mrs. Groenewegen has said. One of the things that I like here is this resource revenue sharing. I am reading here where 100 percent of the royalties go back to Ottawa. I don’t agree with them. This is our territory. These are our resources. The benefits from these resources should stay here. I think this government has actually taken it upon themselves to try and make sure that the resources...

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize somebody from my hometown, Richard Lafferty, from Flashpoint Facilitators is here. I would like to welcome him. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During our presentation of our budget, we had indicated that we’re doing a number of things across the board. We want to update our Highway Strategy. We have received an agreement for our SIF money and we want to put a proposal together, a strategy together to approach the federal government. As part of this strategy, we’re going to change our focus somewhat. Our last Corridors for Canada proposal that went forward was focused on resource development and reconstruction of roads that were in areas impacted by resource development. This time around we still want to be...

Mr. Speaker, the issue of having a permanent presence in the region was something that did come up. We recognize there is a lot more resource development activity in the Sahtu and we also realize there is a lot more traffic. There are people in the communities that now have vehicles and there is a lot more community traffic travelling south during the time that this winter road is open. I will certainly commit to consider having a position in that region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to recognize a number of visitors in the gallery who have joined us as part of the volunteer support initiative launch. Mr. Bill Graham, the chairman of Volunteer NWT.

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Ms. Lani Cooke, board member for the Voluntary Sector Forum.

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Ms. Julie McNeice, board member for the SideDoor Youth Centre.

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Fern Denault, president of the Federation Franco-TeNOise.

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Brian Carter and Josie Gould, NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities.

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Lyda Fuller, executive director for YWCA.

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Mr. Leo-Paul...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to Floyd Roland, Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board.

Can the Minister provide all GNWT positions and their locations related to the diamond, oil and gas industries?

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Mr. Speaker, all-weather roads in a number of different areas in the Northwest Territories are always at the top of our list. If we can find some federal investment to create all-weather roads into different areas, we certainly will pursue it. At this time, it’s still the jurisdiction of the federal government. We are doing what we can to increase the season. We’re putting in bridges. This year we have started a sign campaign; we’re putting 650 signs over this year and next year onto the road. We realize that it’s probably only half as much as what we really need, but it’s going to really...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the trip into the Sahtu and Nahendeh was a real good opportunity for us, as Cabinet Ministers and the Premier, to have some discussions with a number of communities along the way. I think we had, over the weekend, probably around six meetings with different organizations in different communities and we had a lot of discussions. The winter road was always on the agenda and we certainly had an opportunity to take a firsthand look at the road. We thought it was a very scenic drive. There are some stretches that probably could use some improvement. This...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to announce the release of the Government of the Northwest Territories declaration on volunteering and volunteer support initiative. Later today, I will be tabling copies for the Members’ information.

These documents signal a renewed commitment on the part of the Government of the Northwest Territories to volunteers and the important role they play in northern society.

The declaration on volunteering is a public statement of our government’s ongoing commitment to, and support for, the important role of volunteers in community life. This...