Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, one of the objectives of the committee is to ensure that the plan is implemented and information about progress on management actions is shared with all stakeholders and users. Mr. Speaker, I might add that most of the plan is about how to monitor and manage the herd better. One of the things that the plan recommends is that the GNWT change the regulations with regard to the quotas and the numbers. We know that, being here for so many years, wildlife legislation has been in the works for a very long time. It hasn’t been introduced. Could I ask the Premier...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker I would like to take this opportunity to comment on the Bathurst Caribou Management Plan, tabled in the House this week. Mr. Speaker, my riding of Range Lake is most noticeable as the home of national chain stores like Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire. But what many may not know is that it is also home to many avid hunters, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you, I was quite surprised at how often the issues of rights and privileges of game hunting came up during my door-to-door campaign. This is an intense passion for...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could I just ask the Minister what the time frame is that we are working with with the negotiations that the government is under now? What is the time frame? I think the negotiations started before the current contract has ended, so I just wanted to have that information. Thank you.

Holy cow!

Supplementary To Question 384-15(3): State Of Winter Roads In The Sahtu Region

Thank you. Are these outstanding appeals just moving along with the process, or is there something extraordinary that’s getting in the way of it or are they just going through the process? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. I'll leave that topic of diamond guarantees and the secondary diamond industry. I just want to offer some comments about the consolidation of the human resources function of the government. I want to put on record, Mr. Chairman, that I do support this initiative that the government is engaged in, largely due to the desire that I have for better and more effective functioning of management of human resources and not in any way as a cost-cutting measure. I think it's important for the people out there to know that really this was never engaged as a cost-cutting measure.

I hear this...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I had comments I would like to make about the consolidation of the human resources section. Before I do that, I would like to make some comments and observations about this debate going on about the loan guarantees and the receivership for the secondary diamond industry.

First of all, I do believe that this is an important industry. I do believe that the diamond industry in general is one that we have to appreciate for all that it has done for our economy. I do support the previous government and the current government for having worked hard to encourage and foster...

Thank you. On the TSC then, I want to stay broad on this issue because I realize that the Minister and the witnesses may not have detailed information on this. I support the consolidation of the services that the TSC offers. I think it’s the kind of area that needs that critical level of expertise and the computer systems and software programs and things that we use on a daily basis in the government are supposed to be there to help us do our jobs better. At the same time, I’m aware that over the years the government and all the Members sitting here have been hesitant or maybe reluctant to...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I just want to make a very short general comment to say that I support this bill. I think it is a bill that makes sense, in light of the workload that we have to have in the North and with lots of potential for conflict. There is always a need for an additional pool of judges, which we often get from down South on a case-by-case basis. Many of the judges that we do get from the South are retired judges. In light of the fact that retirement age is very flexible these days, I just want to put on record that I support the principle and the details of this bill....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll take that as a yes and ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, I think there are larger issues in question here, and those are the gap years between 16 and 18 and the lack of support or the crack in the law and the legal limbo that these teenagers get into because they are not under 16 where there are other protections, and they are not over 18 where they could tap into programs that are available for adults. So I would like to know if the Minister has any plans to review those and see where the gaps can be filled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.