Tom Beaulieu

I listened to and read the Sessional Statement by the Premier from Wednesday. I have a few comments on it.

I think during the last government there was a lot of effort put into negotiations across the Territory. There was a lot of effort in housing, whether it be the social housing kind or the housing of professionals for market housing. A lot of time was spent on resource development, non-renewable resources and renewable resource development.

I’d like to see our attention shift just slightly, not because all of those things aren’t important, but because this government has to have a vision...

Mr. Speaker, if the community is able to hire qualified, properly trained recreation professionals, that usually means the individual will be hired from outside the community, in many cases from the south. Because of this, sometimes problems can arise because of cultural differences between the new employee and a community and its residents. It would be ideal to hire local individuals who work with recreation professionals and the community. Would the Minister commit to developing standardized job descriptions and pay scales for these local recreation positions?

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to acknowledge an educator in my riding, Moh Odeen, principal of the Deninu School in Fort Resolution. Recently Moh was recognized as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals.

South Slave Education Council Superintendent Curtis Brown said that “Principal Moh Odeen is an inspiration and role model to students, colleagues and community members…his unwavering dedication to education and to young people cannot help but make a difference….”

Originally from Guyana, Moh’s perspective on education, in his own words, are “From the time they arrive in school, I want the students...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker; thank you, colleagues.

Are we doing all we can to support our communities? It’s true the government has a number of recreation and youth programs available. What good are they if the communities cannot take advantage of them because they do not have qualified, properly trained recreation staff? Healthier individuals, healthier communities, are only possible if we have the right people working to deliver these programs.

Later on I will ask the Minister of MACA questions on this.

Mr. Speaker, environmental and natural resources is an important issue in each of our ridings, and collectively it continues to be a critical issue across the N.W.T. Exploration and development of minerals seems to be gaining unstoppable momentum, and our once-plentiful clean water now faces questions of sustainability and even scarcity. A whole new industry has been started in environmental monitoring, in environmental assessment, in environmental impact and use. Additionally, we cannot forget about the traditional cultural practices with respect to the aboriginal people and the impacts on...

Today I wish to acknowledge a health care professional in my riding, Gail Beaulieu, Acting Nurse in Charge of the Deninu Ku’e Health Centre in Fort Resolution.

Gail started her nursing career at the Montreal General Hospital School of Nursing. After graduating she attended Dalhousie University and studied public health as well as an outpost nursing program that included midwifery skills, one of the highlights of her education.

She was recruited to work in Fort Resolution in 1975. After a lengthy break to raise three children, much of which was spent on Taltson River, she returned to work in 1990...

Mr. Speaker, I’m not aware if the Minister has had an opportunity recently to drive the 54 kilometres of unpaved highway between Fort Resolution and Pine Point. But I’d like to ask the Minister if he would commit to driving the unpaved section of the highway to Fort Resolution on Highway 6 with me in May so he can see firsthand the condition of that highway.

Mahsi cho. [English translation not provided.]

Today I would like to ask questions of the Minister of Transportation regarding Highway 6. With the government’s recent announcement of cutbacks, I am concerned a much-needed improvement to Highway 6 will now be set back to a much further future date. Currently, Highway 6 is not scheduled to receive any major improvements in the next 20 years, according to a capital needs assessment report. Twenty-plus years is much too long for this highway. The section of road that I’m concerned about is a 54-kilometre stretch from almost Pine Point leading to a...

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister seriously look at increasing the current capital amounts scheduled for Highway 6 so the job can be completed?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Today I would like to mention some of the people in the Tu Nedhe riding that have passed away since we last sat. There were people from Tu Nedhe and also people that currently were living in Tu Nedhe.

First, there is the late Judith Buggins, who was in her 90s, who passed away here in Yellowknife. Judith was a well-known elder from Fort Resolution who lived there for the majority of her life and spent about the last 20 to 25 to 30 years here in Yellowknife. She was the mother-in-law to former Premier Antoine and grandmother to my...