Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is: Would there be any positions decentralized to Fort Providence? Mahsi.

Thank you. That’s disappointing. Can this government help a community like Fort Providence and recognize it as a regional centre so the community is able to benefit from decentralization? Mahsi.

To me the biggest challenge will be to assist people living in the communities to qualify and train for those jobs that devolution promises.

I look forward to hearing more about how the government will rise to the challenge through the Regional Recruitment Strategy. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be supporting this motion. I would like to thank my colleagues for leading the initiative and the development of this draft. What I would like to at least point out is that if cost is a factor, one group that we keep out of the loop at times is the federal government. If I can recall, the federal government has obligations to ensure that there are equitable programs and services delivered for the citizens of the NWT. I hope that Cabinet at some point remembers that and carries that message to Ottawa. Mahsi.

I do appreciate the Premier being straightforward in terms of perhaps relaying or at least lessening the hopes and aspirations of small communities, basically saying that cost is a big factor at this point.

When can small communities realistically expect the benefits of decentralization? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Premier about decentralization. First I just wanted to highlight the NWT. Of course, we have one major city here in the NWT. We have about five or seven regional centres and the rest are communities. Right now devolution has been regarded as the biggest achievement thus far. We’re seeing some discussion in terms of devolution, so there has been a lot of heavy lifting. At the same time, we are burdened with heavy responsibilities. I’m going to ask the questions, but I don’t know if I should expect a shuffle or a dance, but I will try.

Of the 90...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true that the theme song for devolution should be “you can’t always get what you want,” except in this case we can’t get what we want or what we need. What we need is more jobs in the smaller communities and the capacity to fill those jobs with local residents. Where there is hope, there is despair. Once people have jobs, they have hope. When people are working they can support their families. They contribute to their communities and look forward to a better future.

I say this to remind the government the devolution promise of more jobs in the communities is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is a big government. It’s got lots of people and lots of money. It’s a big system that operates on a daily basis. Of course, its mission is to deliver programs and services to people. At this point, people are asking for help in trying to take that first step in admitting they do have a problem and they want to sober up. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. What immediate steps is the department taking to support established on-the-land programs? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An on-the-land program has been mentioned many times in this House. It is important we understand what communities view as on-the-land programs, which is using the land to heal ourselves, living upon the strengths of local traditional knowledge and also healing philosophies.

I’m concerned that this government, in the great spirit of devolution, is offloading responsibilities to communities and leaving the crises of addictions services to communities. I understand there are some successful initiatives in some communities. In the small communities, we are challenged with...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’d like to thank, first of all, the sponsor of this legislation. I think it’s commendable that Mr. Yakeleya is working with his people and I respect him for that.

I’d also like to thank the people of the Sahtu that showed their Sahtu spirit in welcoming us into their community. What was fairly prominent, of course, and very obvious, was the personal testimony that we heard from communities in terms of the plight in dealing with alcohol.

This legislation simply is asking for help and the communities are asking for help. We heard from leaders, elders, parents and youth...