Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join the Premier and everyone in this House in sending out my own very warm words of congratulations to the leaders and the people of Tlicho in obtaining Royal Assent to the document that would see their vision of a self-government become a reality, in short order.

Mr. Speaker, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 13 years since the Dene Métis Comprehensive Agreement was not able to be ratified. But, like most success stories, the Tlicho people were able to rise like a phoenix from the ashes and, with unrelenting efforts on the part of...

 Thank you, Mr. Speaker.  Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 11-15(3) moved into Committee of the Whole for Monday, February 14, 2005. Thank you.

Is there not room for a $1 million gym for one community that has no indoor facilities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suggest that there is a lot of gap for him to close between getting up here and making a commitment to a gym willy-nilly and to plan something like this 17 years later. I think there is a lot of room there for him to close. Mr. Speaker, I’m not talking about federal funding and all the other stuff, but doing with what you have. We are talking $1 million. The Minister of Health and Social Services is talking about healthy living, active living, kids having a place. What are they supposed to do in the wintertime? I think this is more than just the recreational…

Let me correct the hospital, to read health centre; sorry. Mr. Speaker, let me be really serious. I can see the planning process, but my understanding is that there is no gymnasium planned for Nahanni Butte until 2017. I would say, Mr. Speaker, that is taking planning a little far there. That is 12 years from now. That's not acceptable. There has to be a better way to plan this. Mr. Speaker, I remind the Minister when he was on this side of the floor, he talked non-stop about the need…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Education is well aware of this. We did improve the funding for special needs to 15 percent, but it’s not anywhere near enough because I think even a layperson's observation will show that there is a lot more need for special needs funding right across the board in the Territories and 15 percent is not enough. I would like the Minister of Finance to work on getting 20 percent. I support the government’s move to try to fund kindergarten full time because I think that would lessen the pressure on the budget, and I believe that if we do this we could...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this opportunity to make a few comments about the budget that was delivered by the Minister of Finance. First of all, just a general comment. Being part of this huge bureaucracy of government, I’m sort of jaded to think that it really doesn’t matter what one individual thinks and I must tell you when I was listening to this budget I could not believe how much of Floyd Roland I saw in this document and I’m thinking individuals do make a difference. I may be wrong, maybe I shouldn’t bet dollars on it, but I think the second paragraph of...

Oh, my God, that is such a compliment. Mr. Speaker, I know that this is not a comfort to those who are adversely affected by this budget and I want to acknowledge that as well, but I cannot just stop with a compliment. I do want to give another assignment to the Minister of Finance who has done a fine job in coming up with a budget for this round. One thing that I want to see more of next year is that we enhance the money for education. One thing I noticed on page 10, it mentions a very brief statement about changing the curriculum for trade in our schools, in high schools, but I think we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe municipalities have jurisdiction over this area within their own jurisdiction, but there is a little bit of a gap in situations where these situations happen outside of the municipality, which is the case with the latest six dogs that were found. Mr. Speaker, I understand that there is overlap of jurisdiction not only between these two administrators, but between the levels of government as well, but I don’t think there have been strong statements from the government as a government to say that this is not acceptable. What sort of resources are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s good to be back here and I think we’re experiencing a flying start as a pack of roosters on this side and I really, really look forward to crowing really loudly about the issues that are important to our constituents over the coming months.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice and it’s with regard to parts of my Member’s statement about what’s been happening to our canine residents in the Territories. Mr. Speaker, I had the occasion to attend the Power-Up Young Women’s Conference last Monday and I had the occasion to talk...