Wendy Bisaro

Again, thanks to the Minister. I would like to know from the Minister, because this is another area that, in my mind, where lack of information was glaringly obvious. There was no assessment of current use of particularly the Vee Lake and Walsh Lake areas and a couple of small lakes around it like Jackson and Banting, I believe. I would like to know from the Minister if we are talking about a June 30th final document, how will the department get that current use evaluation, that data, how will they get that prior to June 30th. I think it is vitally important that they have that data in order...

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. I want to follow up on some of the points that I raised in my Member’s statement. I attended one of the two public meetings that were held here in Yellowknife. In listening to the back and forth and in listening to the responses from Municipal and Community Affairs staff, there was an indication that there was a possibility for more consultation. I would like to know from the Minister what process is intended to be followed now. What steps will MACA take? What is MACA going to do going...

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger has deferred to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Beaulieu.

MACA’s discussion paper refers to the carrying capacity of an area. That is the amount of use a lake or a landmass can sustain. It is one of the concepts used for the study recommendations. But how can MACA accept the consultant’s recommendations without any idea of current use without any baseline data to measure the impact the addition of the new lots will have on the area?

A second most alarming issue is the inability of MACA to monitor and control land use in the study area and enforcement of the leases that they will let. The department has neither the manpower nor the equipment to do a...

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013, and would like to report progress with two motions being adopted. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs and I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement. Since Volunteer NWT folded, I think most non-profit and non-government organizations in the NWT have found it much more difficult to do their job. They have volunteer boards and they have less volunteers to work with. I think it’s been a loss to all of the NWT in the fact that they can’t provide the same services to the effectiveness that they could before when Volunteer NWT was alive and well.

I’d like to ask the Minister, I noted on...

Question is being called.

---Carried

So, item number 11, Transportation, $29.848 million, is deferred. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the GNWT departments are developing their business plans right now, I want to comment today on the importance of volunteers and volunteer groups, and I want to comment on the need for adequate funding for this most valuable human resource.

The GNWT seems to recognize the value of volunteers. We had a 2005 Declaration on Volunteering and a Volunteer Support Initiative. We all recognize the importance of volunteers, at least we should. The work of Northerners in the voluntary sector touches us daily. Volunteers and volunteer groups build communities through their work...