Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know Mr. Pokiak has been recognized already, but he certainly is the owner of one of the most beautiful houses in the Northwest Territories where I had the privilege of staying when I was there, but he wasn't there, so I would like to welcome him to the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to follow up on the statement made by my colleague from Hay River yesterday. There is no question that it’s not a good reflection on the House when the presence or absence of Members in the Chamber or in committees take up media time, not what we get done here in the House.

Nevertheless, this has been a problem for the last long while and it’s now public, and the onus is on all of us to work together to improve this situation.

Mr. Speaker, we may have to look at going back to the system where we get paid by meetings we attend…

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…I personally...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Another issue I want to bring up is about some of the changes being done to clinics in Yellowknife. I know the Minister has mentioned it and this has been in the books for awhile. There is a consolidation and amalgamation of clinics going on in Yellowknife. I only go to one myself, obviously, so I don’t know what it is like in other places. I am assuming that the work is being done in a coordinated way. I see the changes being made at the Great Slave Clinic there. I think it is being used as a pilot model of sort. This is being done with some of the federal...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to offer some comments to the Minister’s opening statement, as well. It is fair to say that probably for all Ministers in this chamber, they are probably more anxious to talk to the newly minted Cabinet Ministers in Ottawa than they might be interested in talking to us at the moment. Such is the vital importance that the federal counterparts play for our government. We have never had a change in government like this in 13 years. Pardon me? I thought the Premier was trying to say something here. If I could just finish my statement, I am just going...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope I don’t have to quote that if he doesn’t get a crystal clear documentation of the third agreement, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Mr. Speaker, on the question of the first one, it’s the question of pricing as a core customer, but also the ability and flexibility to have some room to manoeuvre on to the quality of diamonds. I think there might be some room for discussion as to what things work for the cutting and polishing plant here. Because there’s a lack of a precise and clear agreement, and because of the role the GNWT has played in creating a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are also to Minister of ITI and it’s in regards to questions earlier raised about the diamond mines and its supply relationship with the secondary mining industry. Mr. Speaker, I think we, in this House, recognize the important and positive contribution that both the diamond producers and the secondary industry provide to the North, and I don’t think I’m going to use the overused phrase of choking any mule here. I think, though, there is a role for the Minister to play in this regard, and it seems to me there are some points of differences...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the record, I did get an invitation to see the Novel project in Calgary and I don’t believe I need to see the site to make these arguments and ask for information. I do believe this project has to stand on its own. I would also extend an invitation to the Minister to come and visit my riding where I am sure there are at least 1,400 mobile homes already. My question is not, and has never been, about mobile homes. It’s not a question about whether ATCO units are suitable. I am sure they are very beautiful and adequate. I don’t have a problem with that. I want the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, as much as I appreciate the information that was given to me through the answers to my written questions, when you read it closely it's quite surprising how little detail there is still for a project this big. I mean, we’re talking about a $297 million project that is supposed to provide over 1,400 homes and it’s a project where the Minister is stating that CMHC and Housing Canada is supposed to give $119 million and the GNWT is supposed to give $116 million. We’re talking really, really, really big money and I am surprised with the answers that the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The written answer that the Minister gave to my question says that this project will cost $297 million. CMHC contribution will be $119 million. I am assuming that the federal financing goes in there. GNWT contribution will be $116 million and the industry contribution will be $62 million. Mr. Chair, the Minister states that ATCO is the only one with the trademark of Novel, but that is not to say that that might be the only company in the world who could do some kind of a conversion. I don’t know that. What I want to know is that this government has done due...