Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate everybody speaking on this behalf. I guess this recommendation is being proactive instead of reactive, so we are trying to be proactive and are trying to move forward. We've heard that there is the potential of it to fail and there is potential to be successful, but it is no different than any other business. If you do a good plan, you are going to be successful, you know, and right now that's what we are trying to do, is we are trying to develop programs that will help the people be successful that put a good plan together. That, to me, is what we are...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop economic development programming to support northern entrepreneurship related to cannabis sales and production. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Throughout our travels, we heard the issue about enforcement being an issue, whether it was members of the public, community councils, or even enforcement officers. So they were asking these questions and, by having this committee, we can ensure that the new laws are clearly communicated and that we would be able to encourage discussion and informationsharing and provide additional supports to communities with limited resources, i.e. the smaller communities that I'm representing in my riding. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. During our consultation, and especially going into the schools, when we were talking about the education system and getting this material information out there, as some of our colleagues here said, you know, the students were well-informed, but it was based on the Internet and that. Then, when we asked the question in trying to get a good clear direction of it, they basically said that this was not part of the education system. Alcohol and drugs were not part of the education system, and they all said that they should be. It was really interesting listening to the...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, as my honourable colleague from Kam Lake identified, I was the chair who got the opportunity to travel with Members from Deh Cho, Yellowknife North, Hay River North, and Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. We hit nine communities, three schools. Of those nine communities, six of them were part of the original discussion that the government did the consultation process through.

We also, like I said, hit three schools; Deninu, Diamond Jenness, and St. Pats. It was very interesting, and listening to the youth, I guess the biggest thing is we were talking about a difference...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That information that you just gave to us, that's the work that's going to be done this fiscal year? The carry-over from the $1.2 million? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I understand what the Minister has said, and I thank her for that. I know the reality. I was there when they built it. It was a community hall, and they expanded it to make it a "community gym." It's not a community gym. It's a large meeting room. So, the Minister, I know she is really busy because of a lot of work that she has to do over this summer. Is she willing to work with me to go into the community, have a sit-down with the community, discuss it, see for herself what the community is talking about, and see what the department is calling a gym right now? Will...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 14, we are talking about Highway No. 1 reconstruction, various. What sections of the highway were not completed? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the Minister for that answer. I realize she wasn't the one in there, but my big problem is that the community was promised to have some alternatives in the expansion. We will probably have to disagree with that, and we will probably have to try to get the Minister in there.

My next question, though, is in regard to this. Without having a good gym in this community, we have a safety issue. How is the department working with the community and the school to ensure that they have quality and safe education programs in the school?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have nothing further to add to this at this time, but I wish to have a recorded vote. Thank you.