Ronald Bonnetrouge

That's very promising. I like that idea that we use as many northern contractors and northern labour as possible, especially if we can move forward on training programs. Many of these people that come out of heavy equipment operator programs, they are not hired by contractors because they lack experience. This type of work, and there's lots of work in the Northwest Territories highways, enables them to gain more experience on the highway systems operating equipment, flag persons, and whatnot. It's much needed. I realize that some contractors, northern contractors will need southern or other...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I alluded to the washboard situation on the stretch of highway from Junction No. 1 and 3 in my Member's statement. My question to the Infrastructure Minister related to that stretch is: Are there any immediate plans to repair that stretch of highway anytime soon? Mahsi.

Mahsi for that good news. I note the low employment in the community of Fort Providence, not to mention the number of Aurora College heavy equipment operators that have completed the program but are not given any opportunities for work in the field. My question to the Minister and a possible solution, their shortfalls in employment, unemployment: Is it possible to look into the benefits to providing training, employment program, and at the same time, providing the much-needed repairs?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I recall, during a briefing from the Department of Infrastructure recently, the Minister stated that the Highway No. 3 repair budget includes the Behchoko to Yellowknife stretch. We all know the ongoing problems with that stretch of the highway and the amount of resources, labour and financial, that is directed to that stretch of highway on a yearly basis.

My community recognizes the increase in delivery trucks to service the diamond mines, and there are many. Highway No. 3 is one of the busiest highways in the NWT. Highway No. 3 stretches from the junction of Highway No. 1...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my constituency assistant for the Deh Cho and lives in Fort Providence, Karalyn Menicho, who is up in the gallery today. She is here for her constituency assistant's orientation. Karalyn states that she is very pleased with the support and the kindness from the Legislative Assembly staff during her time here. Karalyn is also expecting her second child in March. Colleagues, please help me extend a warm welcome to Karalyn while she's here. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this time to recognize a respected elderly couple on their 60th wedding anniversary. Huge congratulations and happy trails to Ted and Mary Rose Landry of Fort Providence.

Ted and Mary Rose Landry travelled by dog team with their family to get married in the Roman Catholic Church on December 27, 1960. At that time, they were living at Willowlake on the Horn Plateau with their children, alongside other families.

Ted Landry trapped, hunted, and fished for his family. It was a rich and fulfilling lifestyle where he provided the best food for his children and...

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. The NWT is the only jurisdiction in Canada that has an Official Languages Act that recognizes 11 official languages. I'll give the Minister of ECE the honour of naming them all at the appropriate time. The Official Languages Act recognizes that preserving and enhancing the use of official languages is a shared responsibility of the Legislative Assembly, the GNWT, and the NWT language communities. The Official Languages Act establishes three legislative bodies that play a role in protecting, revitalizing, and promoting Indigenous languages. The Minister responsible for the...

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I know first-hand, working for the GNWT for over 11 years, that this program was in place. As an employee of the GNWT, I had a problem even gaining access to this program. Nobody wanted to recognize it. There may be many succession planning documents out there. The last one, I think, was the 2020 A Brighter Future, which probably expired this year, and no actions have ever been taken for any planning documents. Where I was getting just lip service -- and I'm telling you first-hand that I had problems even trying to move up within the GNWT. I wonder if the Minister can...

Mahsi to the Minister for her answer. I just want to say this with no prejudice or disrespect to my Yellowknife colleagues: what is noted is that the majority of the public service jobs are in Yellowknife, and the many new positions that are being created are being located in Yellowknife. Can the Minister explain why this arrangement continues with no regard for the outlying communities?

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I understand the current Government of the Northwest Territories Affirmative Action Policy began around 1976 and was related to a report from the Commissioner of the day, the late Stuart Hodgson. The report was the Hodgson Report, and it set out to achieve training positions for Native Northerners in order to meet the objective of increased Aboriginal employment in the public service. This led to the creation of the Office of Native Employment. That office developed a discussion paper in which it was noted the difficulty in employing Aboriginal people in numbers...