Michael Nadli

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the seconder of the motion, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Robert Hawkins.

I’m presenting this motion because there’s a growing interest in wild mushrooms. Northerners are interested in the harvesting of mushrooms as a business opportunity and livelihood that complements the northern lifestyle of the outdoors.

Recently, we are witnessing people coming into parts of the NWT and harvesting mushrooms. They are taking our natural resources and leaving the NWT. Currently, there are no regulations on wild mushrooms, on morels, to manage and regulate this...

Would the Minister agree that a tax on junk food could be a possible source of badly needed revenues? Mahsi.

Earlier I also made the comment that some provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, are seriously taking the lead in terms of implementing taxes as a deterrent to the lifestyle of their citizens because they realize the significant costs it incurs down the road to the health care institutions.

Would the Minister of Finance agree to follow the lead of those provinces and begin examining the idea and concept of perhaps coming to a point where you could come back to the House with a proposed idea of maybe putting a tax on junk food? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It seems again clear that the Minister is indicating that the onus is on the local leadership. They have the capacity.

Could the Minister commit to meet the communities halfway and be willing to work with both communities to identify viable options and next steps within the 2014-15 fiscal year? As one example, perhaps you could initiate the advance towards a planning study. Mahsi.

My question, again, is what are the obstacles of setting in place a local water treatment plant in Enterprise?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Harriet Geddes of Fort Providence was chosen and honored on Saturday, March 8th, as the Wise Woman for the Deh Cho region for 2014.

Harriet comes from a very traditional background. She was raised on the land and from a very young age, she was taught how to be a good caregiver from her mother, Adeline Landry.

She took those words and applied them to her own life and to others. Harriet started on a healing journey and decided she was meant to be here to help others. She took training and workshops firstly on self-awareness, prevention and treatment for alcohol and drugs...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not support the initial motion nor the motion as amended, which now, understandably, will basically leave the election in 2015.

My principal belief is that people elected after four years should stick with it. To unilaterally add another year to our terms, again, basically goes against the fundamental philosophy which is to serve people and the public. As you might know, locally with all communities that I represent, local councils have two to three-year terms and they are quite happy with that, but as a territorial-level institution, we need to keep in mind the...

I’d like to thank the Minister for his response. It is clear that the Minister has indicated over time that the local responsibility lies on the local leadership and they have the capacity of funding and also, at the same time, there are no obstacles, so does the Minister agree that over the long term, local water treatment plants would be the best option for these two communities especially when the wood pellet plant and campgrounds are fully developed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. I think I’ve raised this matter on water treatment plants in the House on numerous occasions. A particular highlight is in Kakisa. Because they don’t have a water treatment plant, people have to schedule their lives around water delivery and perhaps it sometimes could be delivered today, and so people have to make due with perhaps a 250 gallon tank that could last until Friday. Other examples are recently ITI had invested with the community a fish plant, and it was noted that the operations would...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Each year we spend thousands of dollars servicing the communities of Enterprise and Kakisa with the water truck from Hay River. As expensive as it may be to build and maintain water treatment plants, by now the cost of trucking water has paid for local water treatment systems.

Kakisa is right beside the lake. It’s time to find creative solutions for the construction and operation and maintenance of water treatment plants for both of these communities.

A number of years ago, a hamlet in Sweden with a similar population as Kakisa and Enterprise, came up with six different...