Tom Beaulieu

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be supporting the motion. The reason for my supporting the motion is that there doesn’t seem to be a lot of work done that gives comfort to the MLAs from the smaller communities that there are any benefits going from this change to the people in the smaller community ridings. However, there’s definitely a possibility that few of our seniors who were lucky enough to have held good jobs in their lifetime in these small communities will be adversely affected.

In addition, any loss of residents across the NWT would have an adverse effect on all residents of the...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I am not in support of this motion. Originally I seconded this motion and supported it. I withdrew my support for the motion because I felt that some of the Ministers that we voted for only 16 months ago still have the ability to carry this government forward. There’s no guarantee that the approach of taking the entire Cabinet out would put those Ministers back in.

I have lost the confidence in the abilities of some of the Cabinet Members. I lost the confidence that some of Cabinet have the ability at this time to move this government forward where the people in the...

Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement I spoke about infrastructure spending by the government to stimulate the economy. I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for the various infrastructure departments, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Public Works, and Transportation. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister have an actual plan in place that will ensure that his departments spend all of their infrastructure money that they have in the budgets? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate that reporting progress on all of that infrastructure spending would be difficult. Can the Minister then advise me, if he is able to advise this House or our committee, if the department is not able to carry out the planned infrastructure spending? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, specific to highways, housing work and schools, some of the stuff that’s been in the plan previously. Does the Minister have a plan? What is the significant difference between this plan and all the other year’s plans that haven’t worked? Thank you.

Mahsi cho. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, with the downturn in our economy it has become crucial that the government put real action into spending its infrastructure dollars. I’m not asking the government to put new money in to our economy or to build up the huge deficit, but to actively spend money that is currently on our books so that opportunities can be afforded to our residents of the Northwest Territories.

The government must do its best to stimulate our slumping economy so northern businesses can go back to work. This will be a huge benefit at the community level.

In...

Committee wishes to report progress.

---Carried

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister commit to reporting progress from his various departments on the infrastructure spending to the House on a regular basis so that we can keep our constituents advised and our northern businesses and local businesses advised if these expenditures are not going to occur, so that they too can plan for these activities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Historical Resource Act; Bill 3, International Interest in Mobile Aircraft Equipment Act; Bill 4, Public Library Act; Bill 5, Professional Corporations Act; and Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act.

The committee wishes to report that Bill 1, Bill 3, and Bill 7 are now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole and that Bill 4 and Bill 5 are now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole, as amended and reprinted.

Mahsi cho. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to make a Member’s statement to the people of Tu Nedhe, to advise the people of Tu Nedhe of the items that I will be working on in the next 25 days while I sit here in the Legislative Assembly. I will be working on the fact that the homeownership program in housing, which is a major issue in Tu Nedhe, seems to be progressing very slowly. I find that the programs are not assisting the people that they are intended to assist at this time. In the Northwest Territories there are approximately 17,000 residents and about 3,000...