Thebacha

Statements in Debates

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that I have been made aware of this discrepancy as the Member has indicated, then we will be following up today and tomorrow to ensure that the proper facts are communicated to all of the participants in this program. Thank you.

Debates of , (day 2)

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that through the Don’t be a Butthead campaign, many young people have made the commitment to be smoke free. I have personally written to over 3,000 children and youth from every community in the NWT, congratulating them on their pledge to remain smoke free. This campaign originated in 2004 as an initiative of the Department of Health and Social Services to educate youth across the North on the benefits of staying smoke free.

This year, youth and schools in the NWT got caught up in the smoke-free fervor by entering the Create the Smoke Free Future contest in...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just laid out to the Member what the plan is. We’ve met with committee; a presentation has been done; we’re going to be releasing the White Paper on the Energy Strategy. We’re going to follow that up with a more formal document. In the meantime, there’s existing programs available through the Arctic Energy Alliance, some through the federal government, there’s been some technical support and those programs are currently on the books and operational pending the outcome of the discussions and feedback and consultation with the White Paper and the more formal actual...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we provide substantive funding, along with other departments, to the Arctic Energy Alliance, who is our working arm in terms of energy conservation. This government, as well, has set up its own Energy Conservation Program to support initiatives, retrofitting, looking at new technologies and innovative ways to save energy. We’ve also combined, partnered up that money with money from the federal government. In this case, there has been assistance provided to the individual in question, money and technical support that is helping advance the work that he’s...

Debates of , (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would recommend that, if there are questions in any particular community, they contact the local ENR officer or the local regional office. They should be able to hopefully resolve the issues and clarify any misunderstandings. Thank you.

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hear the Member’s comments and I can appreciate and comprehend what he is telling me. I also have a position here that we’re moving on and we’re not abandoning anybody, we’re not denying anybody a service. I can appreciate how it feels when the concern people have when they see things they think move out of their communities, but this service is not going to be lost. It’s still going to be available a very short distance away. Thank you.

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two key people of the Yellowknife Seniors' Society; the president, Ms. Sandra Taylor and, of course, Ms. Vivian Squires, the new executive director, who are with us today in the audience. Thank you.

---Applause

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all the capital projects we bring forward are very good on their merit and we’ve been working hard on recognizing, as the Member has pointed out, that there is a need here. We are competing for scarce resources, as the Members all know. But we are bringing it forward, along with a number of other initiatives and we will be making…We have, I believe, made a very good case. The factors are going to be looked at like the capital fund that’s available, the cost of the project as it’s been initially laid out. But we are moving on this and it is on our agenda...

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, nothing is being abandoned and nobody is being abandoned. The service will continue to be provided and in a community that has the skills and ability and the workforce to do that, and that’s in Hay River. Thank you.

Debates of , (day 1)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what was initially proposed by YACCS was both that we would cover the O and M, as well YACCS would take out the loan and we would just cover off the monthly mortgage payments. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the table for some time now. There’s been funds, as the Member indicated, committed to this and the direction from Cabinet was to put this into the current business planning process that is now underway in the capital planning process and that has been done. Work has been done on the model and the initial cost estimates which we have received....