Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry about that. Actually, I have a question, I guess, for the Premier. It is to do with red tape. I am just wondering what this government is planning to do to alleviate the amount of red tape that we have within the departments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate and recognize Max and Julia Trennert, who are celebrating their 59th wedding anniversary.

Max was in Inuvik 60 years ago, working as a surveyor while mapping the community of Inuvik. Julia was a student at the time. According to their daughter, Brendalynn, her dad the site surveyor was also managing the Mackenzie Hotel when he first met Julia. It was love at first sight. Mr. Speaker, Max and Julia were married on February 5, 1960, in Inuvik, where the first of their three children were born, Brett Fraser, Spence, and Maxime...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize and welcome my constituent assistant, Leanne, I want to say "Jameson," but Campbell. Hopefully, she is enjoying her time here in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Hay River, we are in dire need of an emergency warming shelter for the homeless, so the questions I have are for the Minister of Housing and the Minister of Homelessness, which is the same person. I would like to ask the Minister if her department is prepared to provide assistance to a group in Hay River, a non-profit group, to assist setting up a temporary emergency warming shelter? Thank you.

Well, I guess it's an emergency warming shelter because what's going to happen here is we've got people on the street and, with these temperatures, we're going to end up having somebody freeze, here. I guess what we are looking for, or the group is looking for, is some assistance. I don't think they are looking for anything too much, and we just need some, or they will need some, assistance from the Department, if possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess, if we are looking at a fair assessment, I am hoping that this government takes a look at the assessment and decides, outside of MACA, it would have to be outside MACA, whether it is a fair assessment or not. I am [microphone turned off] doesn't sound like that is done. We just accept, basically, what is put in front of us, and assume that it is fair unless there is something, a report or something, criteria that is met, to make sure it is fair. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The tax bill there for Stanton is quite substantial, and I see that the property, it says here, is that you, in your statement, is it is assessed by the same methods as those used for privately owned property. Am I correct in saying that MACA is the one who does the property assessments?

Will this project be retendered or sent out for RFP fairly soon?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The question that I have today is for the Minister of ITI. Recently, the tender for the construction of a fish processing receiving plant in Hay River was cancelled. When I saw this, I concluded that it was due to the bid amounts received, which were considerably over budget. Can the Minister confirm the reason for cancelling the tender at this time? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to talk about the commercial fishery on Great Slave Lake. If you look at the various industries that have come and gone in Hay River, you will find that the commercial fishery has outlasted most of them. This is remarkable considering the harsh elements these fishers face, whether it be the winter fishery or the summer fishery. The financial return to these fishers is minimal when you consider fish prices have never kept up with the increased operating cost related to fuel, equipment, labour, and insurance.

Mr. Speaker, the fishery is constrained by...