Robert Villeneuve

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess maybe I just want to exchange my form of questions. I want to ask the Minister if the Protected Areas Strategy action plan includes monitoring and feedback to this government and the federal government on a semi-annual basis or even on a monthly basis on how the planning process carried out and what’s developing to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll direct my question to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Honourable Brendan Bell. I know that the action plan for the Protected Areas Strategy has been developed by the NWT Protected Areas Strategy Secretariat since 2002 when it was first initiated. I know that there have been negotiations on some cost-sharing agreements with the federal government and other aboriginal organizations to the tune of $17 million for the Protected Areas Strategy. I wanted to ask the Minister if any cost-sharing agreement has been reached and, if not...

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to point out that I know that a lot of the candidate areas and these community groups have other avenues in which to establish protected areas; for example, through Parks Canada, Environment Canada and through the territorial government through their own protected areas legislation that they already have in place. I want to know what priority does this Protected Areas Strategy action plan have over any of these other avenues, which could be easier to work with for these candidate-selected areas that these organizations want. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t think the Minister really answered my question. I know it’s Public Works buildings. We are looking at two communities, roughly $9,500 for maintenance funding for Public Works buildings. I can understand why they don’t want this work. I can understand why they don’t even want the funding to carry out this work because there is probably just not enough. How many buildings does this include? Are there any schools involved or just maintenance garages or units or what? Thank you.

Thank you.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to thank my colleagues for extending question period.

Mr. Speaker, just getting back to some of the issues that the local youth and the residents have been working on in reference to the arena facility. Over the last year, the youth and the community council have been requesting extra dollars to help make improvements in the arena facility, which the youth again have taken it on themselves to make these improvements. They have allotted many hours and evenings to doing construction work themselves in the arena, Mr. Speaker.

When I went back there and...

I seek unanimous consent to extend question period.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe I will just edify the Minister on what the problem is. The problem is that there is no money.

---Laughter

Basically, the money that was allotted to the community for this youth centre is not sufficient. Basically, their shortfall is to the tune of about $40,000, Mr. Speaker. With the government painting a bright fiscal picture with all of the new developments at the national level, I don’t see what the big issue is with scraping up $40,000 within Municipal and Community Affairs multi-million dollar budget to help the youth in the community. Thank you, Mr...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to rise and announce that on September 25, 2004, I attended a graduation ceremony held in Deninu Kue, to recognize the significant achievements of three students. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again congratulate Donavan Boucher, Andy Norn and Travis Guild in reaching this significant milestone, and encourage them all to proudly display their Grade 12 diplomas.

I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that this graduation class represents a 200 percent increase in the number of grads from the previous Deninu School. So I would also like to...