Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The department business plans noted that a complete asset management strategy for the NWT community governments has been approved by Canada for use under the gas tax agreement to guide the distribution of targeted capital business building funds. Has MACA completed its work with the first intake of the 11 community governments? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister give us a timeline when he feels that will be done? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Hopefully this will be my last question for this topic. In regard to community planning, am I correct in understanding that community planning has a responsibility for assisting communities with civic addressing? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that. Yes, I totally agree that we have all this new infrastructure and, you know, with new infrastructure come issues such as accidents that happen. Especially with tourists; they don't understand that you come up with a bike, and we're on gravel highways in some parts, so I'm looking forward to the department and hearing how we can actually enhance this. Because I know, in my riding, the community of Fort Simpson is actually the one that looks after it and, you know, it's a huge cost to them and they work on it. They're very good at it, so I...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand that there is the Minister's statement and that, but these are some of the questions that have been asked of me by my constituents to ask, so I'm just making sure I'm going through my list here. I thank the Minister for that. In correspondence with the Standing Committee on Government Operations, the department noted that Municipal and Community Affairs will need to identify a long-term process to transfer assets and lands. What is involved in this work and what is the time frame for completion? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, and I greatly appreciate the Minister's willingness to share that information with us. What does the department estimate the ongoing annual costs of this service to be, moving forward? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My next question: how is the department planning to secure any additional funds needed for surveys or land assessment? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Minister talked about a youth council, and he did talk about it in the House. What work has been done? Is it still in the preliminary stages, or have we actually seen work being moved forward in this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have heard the Minister beat the dead horse, but this is a new thing that we, as the Government of the Northwest Territories, are imposing onto the municipal governments. I appreciate the Minister, understanding that we have short resources and that, but we have to make sure that we are prepared. I am hoping, and I am going to take the Minister's word for it, that we are actually going to start looking at this, to develop a course that people are able to take. That will be my last question. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My first question is: is the department still focusing its efforts on a pilot project with Fort Providence, Tulita, and Ulukhaktok, and how is the work proceeding? Thank you, Mr. Chair.