Shane Thompson

I thank the Minister for that answer. It's great to hear all these things. Good things are happening, but can he please explain how they come up with the requirement of having a Master's degree for these positions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Ted Grant, owner of Simpson Air. In the fall of 2017, he received the Senator's Sesquicentennial Medal. Ted volunteered his time with coaching hockey and generously donates to kids' sports teams in the community. He has also showed his dedication by promoting tourism to the Nahanni Park.

Ted has been a long-time resident of Fort Simpson, dating back to his days as an RCMP officer in the community in the 1970s. His favourite thing about Fort Simpson is that he does not have to live in the city, where everything is hectic, and, in Fort Simpson, it...

I thank the Minister for that answer. When looking at the requirements of all these positions, you need a Master's of Social Work degree. We are looking at 49 positions, so that has a huge impact on it. It also has caused a huge issue for staff presently in these counselling positions who have years of experience, know the youth, but they don't have a Master's degree. Then I'm hearing rumors through the grapevine that, you know, that they're not even going to be looking at these positions here. So, can the Minister ensure that these people are getting a fair opportunity to do the job? I'm not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the last budget process, we talked about new positions called the children and youth council position, and we are very excited about it. However, there seems to be some confusion about a person's qualifications. Can the Minister briefly describe what qualifications these positions need to do the job? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Al Browning came into this world like a sheep on July 10, 1963, and departed like a lion on March 19, 2018, much too soon for all of us to comprehend or believe. He has left a great void in the lives of those who loved him deeply.

Allan is the second oldest child of Rose and Tommy Browning. He is a descendant of a great family who has a rich history around Fort Simpson and the Deh Cho. The Browning family is part of northern history, and his grandfather ran a sawmill that provided much of the lumber for the community's early infrastructure. Allan and the great members of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on March 22nd I got a Christmas present, a little early or it might have been a little bit late, from the Department of Lands. This is a press secretary release saying that there was going to be a media announcement about the leases in there, so this has been a gift that's been given to me ever since then, and I keep on getting questions from my leadership and members in the communities. So this is my question to the Minister of Lands: can the Minister please advise why the media offer was offered to them after our winter session, and not during the winter...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on February 20th, 10 students from TSS, accompanied by two chaperones, travelled to Vancouver to attend the Wisdom to Action, Youth-Led Suicide Prevention Programs conference that was held at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre on East Hastings Street. Conference organizers and contributors included the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Dalhousie University, the Embrace Life Council of Nunavut, and the Canadian Red Cross.

The conference was held over two days, February 21st and 22nd, and many topics relevant to our youth and community were presented and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I must apologize to the House because maybe I'm not getting my question across properly. I'm not talking about Commissioner's land. We understand that. I actually proposed a 3 per cent reduction. He came back and, you know, he was actually saying it was good at 10 per cent, and then he came back to 5 per cent. You know, I'm still baffled by this, so will the Minister look at this again and actually consult and engage people properly? Not letters, not using the public, and not using us, but getting out there and talking to the people who are impacted by this decision...

I thank the Minister for that answer. I understand, you know, he made a commitment and talked about us in standing committee in 2017, but why wasn't this information given to us saying this was going to happen April 1st? We didn't hear anything about it, and I attended a number of the meetings. I may have missed the meeting, so why weren't we informed of this happening? Because, again, it's a Christmas gift. Not one I wanted, but it's a Christmas gift from the Minister. So will he please explain why it took him until after we had the session?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry about that. I would like to inform the house that John and Sharon Herring received the Senate Sesquicentennial Medal on Sunday, April 8th, from former Senator Nick Sibbeston. It is a very proud moment when residents of the NWT are recognized for outstanding work. The medal is awarded to residents actively involved in their communities who, through generosity, dedication, volunteerism, and hard work, make their community a better place to live. Without a doubt, these two encompass all of those qualities. Their accomplishments are appreciated and are important to...