Michael Nadli

I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has conducted its review of Bill 12, Northern Employee Benefits Services Professions Act, and wishes to report to the Assembly that Bill 12 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted.

Further, the Standing Committee on Government Operations has also conducted a review of Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Borrowing Authorization Act, and would like to report that Bill 43 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Just some other points. I think my colleague touched on the ongoing system to come up with at least a unit of some kind that could be available for people that travel on the highway. I know that this has been ongoing. I think the Department of Transportation and two other departments have been part of this exercise. They are trying to at least forge a semblance of unity in terms of trying to come up with an emergency system if it’s ever needed. I have heard the discussion in terms of the community fire departments are confined to communities, and if ever they are called upon to deal with a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister explain, for the sake of the community understanding this process, what would the process entail and perhaps how long might that process take? Mahsi.

Can the Minister clarify whether a simple majority on the plebiscite or option poll is enough to prove that a community wants a name change? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. During the colonial era, explorers often gave English or French names to northern communities. Reverting to a traditional name is a way to ensure the community’s name reflects the language and culture of local people.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is responsible for the NWT Cultural Places Program. It is responsible for archeological sites, historic places and official place names. If a community wants an official name change, it must also go through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

I’d like to provide some examples. Tuktoyaktuk...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a couple of comments. The first one is on the winter crossing access road that leaves from Fort Providence. Formally it is the whole winter road section from the bridge to the peninsulas that jut out into the main river system. They are still there and there is interests by the people that reside in that area to try to upkeep and maintain that section of the road just for accessibility in terms of whether they might experience, hopefully not, an emergency situation and they have to drive into the community, either to the health centre or else perhaps dispatch...

Does the government have an official position on community name changes and does it actively support communities that want to take this step, or is the government neutral on this matter? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The language initiative across the NWT is taking on different forms. One of the initiatives that complicated this is trying to instill a level of cultural identity. Some communities have gone to advance those initiatives by changing the name of their community. But what we have is two government departments, so my question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Does the Minister’s department work seamlessly with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to facilitate a community’s application for an official name change? Mahsi.

What is this government doing to facilitate future resource management agreements with local Aboriginal corporations? I understand there’s been movement to work with Kakisa and Jean Marie River. Are there other communities down the valley that have stated an interest, and what’s this department doing to help those communities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I talked about the Forest Management Agreement. Recently, in October in Fort Providence, there was a very historic and momentous occasion and the Forest Management Agreement was signed between the GNWT and the community. I want to ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources if he could update this House in terms of dealing with Fort Providence and the next few steps we can expect. Mahsi.