Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with third reading of Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have with me, on the left, Anne Clark, president of the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission; and, Mr. Ian Rennie, legislative counsel. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to provide opening comments on Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act. The proposed amendments allow for the creation of a legislative presumption that firefighters with certain types of cancers are presumed to have developed the cancer from their work.

The presumption for firefighters, full-time, part-time and volunteer, will recognize that firefighters who have certain types of cancers after working as firefighters for specified periods developed those cancers from their work. Seven Canadian jurisdictions currently provide for a...

The NWT Act is a federal act that we don’t change. The bands are governed by the Indian Act, so we’re working with the band to try to get them to form an interim corporation so the money can go to them. But I will commit to working very closely with the Member and seeing if we can get the message to the leadership in Lutselk’e that this is a step that they should look at taking for the benefit of getting capital land gas tax dollars into their community. Thank you.

We do recognize them as the First Nation government and there’s no reason that they couldn’t serve on the interim corporation. We’re asking the band communities to form the interim corporation. Currently, we have seven of the eight band communities who have formed, or are in the process of forming, an interim corporation, so they can own real property and the capital money can flow to them. We’re sitting on close to $3 million, Mr. Speaker, in capital and gas tax money for the community of Lutselk’e. So it’s in their best interest to form a corporation and take advantage of that money. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today we are wearing green to celebrate a milestone in northern history that will take place in Whistler, British Columbia, when Brendan Green of Hay River becomes the first Northwest Territories resident to compete in the Olympic Games since 1984 when Sharon and Shirley Firth competed in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.

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In about two and a half hours, Brendan and his teammates will compete in the men’s 4 by 7.5 kilometre biathlon relay at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games starting at 12:30 p.m. The race is scheduled to be broadcasted on TSN, and will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho that Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Commissioner’s Land Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, I would, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 21-16(4), I wish to table the following two documents entitled Design Guideline: Units Incorporating Barrier-Free/Visitable Design Features and Public Housing Units that Incorporate Barrier-Free Features.