Ronald Bonnetrouge

Good Lord, did I just waste my breath? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I just want to touch up on under facilities management. In the small communities, I know the outlying communities, like in Fort Providence and Fort Resolution, they have settlement maintainers. I know it's costing the department quite a bit of money every time one of heating boilers or whatever goes down in either Fort Resolution or Fort Providence. The operating engineers have to come from Hay River, and we don't know if they will come all hours of the night most times. I had brought this up when I was an employee in Infrastructure, but it has not gotten anywhere.

However...

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Contract services, that's not for any specialized services or anything, is it? What type of contract work does this entail? I think you may have answered that before; I'm not sure.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Most of your contracts for all those services, are they contractors based in the NWT, northern contractors? Mahsi.

Okay. Moving on to another one, it could be similar, but there is the First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care Program. I'm just wondering if this is where the personal support workers were funded, under this program? Mahsi.

Regarding that funding, I was provided a table where it showed funding that went to First Nations. Some of them were getting, like, $190,000 and stuff like that. Is that one-time funding to them to last them five years? Is that the way this is working?

Okay. All of my other questions are not budget-related, so I have no further questions on that. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I spoke to the fact that Enterprise is the first community on Highway No. 1 from the border. It's sad to say there is no visitor information centre at Enterprise. I mean, goodness, we have all the ITI staff in Hay River, all the business advisors, and no one is speaking tourism business opportunities to the Hamlet of Enterprise. This is potential employment for the residents of Enterprise where there are limited jobs. Can the Minister commit to having all available staff meet with the Hamlet of Enterprise to realize the tourism marketing potential and associated businesses...

I am aware of ENR and ITI being into the community, but that was strictly to discuss another issue dealing with an AWP. The ownership of the gas bar, the convenience store, and the motel creates the jobs for residents of Enterprise, and it's always going through different ownership throughout the years. This is a really great business opportunity for the hamlet itself since no one else would be able to take it on. I am just wondering if it's possible for ITI and MACA officials to meet with the hamlet to discuss the options available for the purchase of this business opportunity with the help...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Hamlet of Enterprise has approximately 120 residents; five businesses, including a motel, convenience, and gas bar. The businesses mostly cater to out-of-town requests for service, businesses such as a plumbing and heating contractor, cabinet supply company, modular home company, and the furniture cash-and-carry business. There are a couple of small, niche businesses such as Winnie's Dene Art Gallery and D'Arcy Moses Fashion Design, both in the same building that used to house a former cafe and gas bar.

Mr. Speaker, one would think this was a vibrant and happening place...