Robert Villeneuve

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Under the health care plan, is that list updated…You said it's updated more frequently than the elections one, which is probably every four years or so. I know under the health care plan it's for insured persons under the NWT health care. What about the non-insured health care beneficiaries? Thank you.

Yes. Can we look at setting up an employment equity advisory committee? Yes or no and why not? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t recall the committee, I don’t know if it was AOC or maybe the Social Programs committee wasn’t in total favour of it, but I know the affirmative action policy as it stands today calls for an affirmative action advisory committee to oversee the affirmative action policy and make sure that the government is committed to developing a public service that is representative of the population of the NWT; namely, women in management and indigenous aboriginals in government, in the public service. So I just don’t see what’s wrong with having a totally independent...

Yes, as we move forward to develop regulations that are regionally specific, would it be safe to say that regions could include or incorporate into their own regulations for the region into any tourism licence, employment-specific regulations when dealing with the issuance of any tourism licence? Is that within law or is it allowable? Thank you.

I think in these interim measures agreements that we have, I think the Minister or the government still has the final say on whether to issue a licence or not, whether an aboriginal organization or community organization, NGO, for example, has some issues surrounding the issuance of a licence to a particular operator or an operator that is maybe not from the territory. How much consideration is given to the final outcome of any issuance or renewal to an organization that has those concerns? Thank you.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Bill 11, Tourism Act. The Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development met on September 5th, 2006, and October 16th, 2006, to review Bill 11, Tourism Act for the Northwest Territories.

The committee had a brief presentation from Ms. Robin Wotherspoon, president of the NWT Tourism Association.

The committee is pleased with the new simplified process of obtaining a tourism licence in the Northwest Territories. The existing tourist establishment licence and travel and tourism outfitter licence will be replaced with a single tourism operator licence. A new...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A lot of these affordable housing units are going to be going into communities. The Housing Corporation’s intent is to have them turned into or sold off into private homeownership programs or to private individuals in the community. Just with respect to the multi-housing units that are going to be going out there, I know the ones that are there now, they have shared mechanical rooms, water tanks and sewer tanks, which are the design of the old multi-units that we have today. We have lots of problems with the tenants that are in them. People don’t like to be in them...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me ask the Minister if he can provide this House with what changes from the old reserve style matchbox 5-12s that the Housing Corporation has been putting on the ground for the last 10 to 15 years. What changes is the Housing Corporation going to incorporate into this new affordable housing initiative?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the Fort Resolution Metis Council president and one of the original native cousins, Mr. Lloyd Cardinal.

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I’d also like to recognize Vern Jones because he is my cousin-in-law. Welcome to the House.

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Yes, besides the historical, ecological and spiritual reasons given, are reasons related to employment given equal weight? Thank you.