Robert C. McLeod

Mr. Speaker, supporting a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions in the Northwest Territories with economic development opportunities and choices is essential to the long-term future of the territory and is an important part of this government’s mandate. One of the ways we are fulfilling this mandate commitment is through forest management agreements.

Forest management agreements give local Aboriginal corporations non-exclusive rights to harvest timber from Crown lands for the purpose of sustainable forest business development and growth. Agreements respect settled land...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to update Members on the fiscal situation and ongoing challenges we are facing for the next few years.

Yesterday the Premier talked about the government's vision for the future. Twenty years from now we want to see a healthy and prosperous territory where people have goodpaying jobs built on the foundation of responsible resource development. We see residents who have achieved economic independence and who do not have to rely on income assistance to get by. We see people who can own their own homes, provide for their children...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Capital Estimates, 2018-2019," and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 788-18(2) Mackenzie Delta Forest Fire Operations." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is something that we are contemplating looking at, the board itself, the structure of the board, but I think the most important thing here is to give the board the proper tools to make decisions and make decisions that are transparent and maybe even published. The board just operates under the guidelines, policies, legislation as it is laid out now, and, if we can improve the tools that the board operates under, then I think that would give them a better opportunity to make decisions that are consistent with the improved policies that we provide to them.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The review will look at the legislation and regulation as well as the policies for the Liquor Licensing Board, and I look forward to the earliest opportunity to sit down with the Regular Members, the Regular Member committee, and have a discussion with them and receive some feedback. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want this review that we do on the Liquor Licensing Board or the guidelines to be as open as possible and to touch on many things. We have not had any discussions with the communities about that, but there is an opportunity again, as I said earlier, for stakeholder input, and we will be looking to hear from communities across the Northwest Territories to see if that is viable or if that is something that they would consider. We do want to make it a thorough examination of all the guidelines and policies and equip the boards so that they are making decisions based on an improved set. Thank...

One of the three points we are looking at is to increase the transparency and accountability of the Liquor Licensing Board. Much like with everything we do here in the 18th Assembly, we need to improve our transparency and make it a very transparent process, so that is one of the things that we are looking at, as far as another appeal. I mean, we have to look at that. I don't think it would be wise to set up another level of appeal process that licensees have to go through. We will be looking at those, but we do not anticipate setting up another level of appeal. We will just work within the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would also like to recognize Mrs. McLeod, but my Mrs. McLeod, and we just celebrated our 38th anniversary this July. Welcome to the gallery. I would also like to recognize the former Member from Frame Lake, Ms. Wendy Bisaro. Why did you leave? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 32, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018 be read for the third time, and, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 31, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations and expenditures for the government of the Northwest Territories for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.