Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be voting in favour of this motion. As a new Member, it’s something that I’m learning about, the ombudsman and the potential that it has. Several different jurisdictions have different responsibilities, whether it’s the rental office, whether it’s housing issues, hospital issues, police abuse, police issues, so I believe that there’s a group of people in the Northwest Territories that are falling through the cracks in the system that don’t have an appeal system. Ultimately we have one option to go through the courts, and those court costs and court delays are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, June 11, 2012, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Ms. Deborah McLeod of Yellowknife be appointed as the director of human rights during good behaviour for a term of four years by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Legislative Assembly;

And further, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of appointment to the Commissioner.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have much of a statement today, so I thought I’d make it quick.

Well, I’ll start off today about the 2012-2013 operational budget.

Executive for 25 million, now 50 million for ITI, 65 million for ENR, 120 for Transportation, now 300 to Education, 300, 300, 350, 350. Sold to Health to Minister Beaulieu and the Department of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, the past five years the budget has gone from 600 million, 600 million, now 7, 7, now 8, 8, now 9, 9, now 1 billion, 1 billion, now 1.2, 1.2, 1.2, now 1.3, 1.3, now 1.4, 1.4, now 1.4 is now 1.5, 1.5. Sold...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will discuss some of these issues as well. It is a big concern to me the amount of $105 million in carry-overs from previous year. That is a large amount of money to be not putting out into the territory, especially when the economy of the Northwest Territories has been slow.

I understand that the infrastructure projects have been quite large over the last few years. This year has been a smaller one, so I am really looking forward to seeing those dollars hit the ground in the Northwest Territories and go to helping the economy of the Northwest Territories. I hope that...

WHEREAS Section 16(2) of the Human Rights Act provides that the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission is composed of such members, between three and five in number, as may be appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS there will be four vacancies on the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission as of June 30, 2012;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that the Legislative Assembly recommend the appointment of the following individuals to the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission:

Ms. Marion Berls...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize my two Pages from Hay River North: Tassie Lockhart-Drygeese and Chantelle LaFleur. I’d also like to recognize their chaperone, Kathleen Lockhart-Drygeese. Thank you very much, ladies.

Thank you. As my colleagues have indicated some of the concerns with the high cost of the bridge, one of my questions is what has been removed from the bridge project that was in the original design of the bridge?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Continuing with the main theme here on the Deh Cho Bridge today, I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation. What is the expected time of completion or payback on the mortgage or bonds that we currently hold on the Deh Cho Bridge?

My last question is about the grant from the Government of Canada and the increase. Can the Minister indicate what the main reason is for getting a larger increase? Is it because of the increase in population? Is it the way they calculate it? Thank you.

My next question would be: If we don’t attain that number, what affect does it have to the bottom line, I guess, and how do we recover if we don’t meet that level?