Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, the intent will be to come up with what’s being recommended, walk it through, give the committee and the Members a chance to look at it, and in due course, subsequent to that, of course, we’ll be looking to respond to the committee’s feedback. As we move forward, that type of communication and consultation process will be built in.

Mr. Speaker, as I’ve indicated, we’re going to look closely at the appeal system that is now there for Income Support — there’s another one for Student Financial Assistance — and we’re going to do a jurisdictional check as well. The intent is not to try to recreate the wheel or reinvent the wheel, so we’re going to take the best from the systems that are there. We’ll be sharing that work with the Members and the committees.

Mr. Speaker, as we conclude this budget process and as we move forward, that item has already been identified. As the business is laid out and the work is laid out for the coming year, that’s one of the items we intend to be able to bring back in the fall, with a clear outline of what’s being recommended.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commit publicly that as the Minister responsible for the Housing Corp., we’d like to continue to conclude our trip, which was interrupted. I’ll commit to that.

The issue of the appeal process, as well, the Member has raised before, and it’s a good one. It’s one the Housing Corporation has put on their work list, and we are looking forward to being able to come back to committee, and to this Assembly, in the fall. We’ve indicated, as well, to the Member that we’d like to be able to look at processes that are already there that we could either pattern ourselves after...

On behalf of the Hon. Michael McLeod, I wish to table the following three documents: the first document, Arctic Winter Games Expenditures; the second document, entitled Mackenzie Recreation Association — Summary of Community Contributions 2003–2008; and the third document, entitled Contracts and Services from Southern Vendors.

Document 38-16(2), Arctic Winter Games Expenditures, tabled.

Document 39-16(2), Mackenzie Recreation Association — Summary of Community Contributions 2003–2008, tabled.

Document 40-16(2), Contracts and Services from Southern Vendors, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Mr. Felix Lockhart, former member of Grandin, with whom many long years ago I attended school. As well, I’d like to take the opportunity to recognize my youngest brother in his official capacity as mayor of Hay River and, of course, welcome them both to the Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled N.W.T. Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Report 2008.

Document 35-16(2), N.W.T. Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Report, 2008, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, when we stand in this House and raise issues and talk, what we say and how we say it has a tremendous impact not only in this House but outside of this House, in the communities, where many, many people watch avidly what happens in this House. It has a great impact.

Earlier in the week the comments in the statement by the Member from Yellowknife Centre reverberated through the community of Fort Smith and caused a tremendous furor that I’m still feeling the effects of today.

There are constructive ways to raise issues, and then there are destructive ways to raise issues. I would have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If you ask the wrong person to dance, there’s a chance that things may happen that you didn’t anticipate. That’s an unfortunate reality in every community. I don’t think it’s specific to Fort Smith. There’s a shared responsibility here.

Mr. Speaker, I want to conclude my statement by once again thanking the Member for clarifying his comments; encouraging him to accept the invitation to come to the community; and pointing out that the college is a very high-class operation that has lots of good people working there, and it is very, very important to all the people of Fort...

Mr. Speaker, climate change is a serious problem that can significantly disrupt our global environment and affect the ability of Northern residents to lead healthy and productive lives.

The Northwest Territories is a global hot spot, having warmed on average two degrees a year compared to the global average of less than one degree annually. If greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, continue to be released in large amounts, the North will continue to experience warming during the next few decades.

At the appropriate time today I will be tabling the Northwest Territories Climate Change...