Shane Thompson

No, thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister again for his work. I understand. I'm just looking for the future. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I guess my biggest struggle is the vision, where we're looking outside of what we exist presently. Having these facilities in the major centres, which is Hay River, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Yellowknife, are challenging for the smaller communities. Also, you have to look at the industry out there.

We're offering these programs, which is great, but where is industry in this? Have we been talking with them? So I guess I would like to ask the Minister, it's kind of a wish list with this here, is that any future opportunities that the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to present a petition dealing with the matter of increasing funding for local programming and governance workshops for communityled boards and district education authorities. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 144 signatures of the Northwest Territories residents, and, Mr. Speaker, the petition requests that the Government of the Northwest Territories increase funding to communityled boards and district education authorities to increase local programming in areas such as governance, workshops readiness, trades, and outdoor and cultural activities...

I didn't understand that, but I have another question I need to forward on. We know that at least there are 43 exemptions in Cassidy Point, which is Commissioner's land, and that there's other out there that I'm aware of. That as I continue to bring this issue forward from my constituents there is exceptions to this rule. So can the Minister please advise this House what the process is for making exemptions to the rules?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, my questions will be for the Minister of Lands. I'm very grateful to hear that they make a commitment that he follow through on it, and I wish the other Ministers would follow the lead and follow the Lands Minister and any verbal commitments will follow through. Well, can the Minister please explain why the department still uses the Commissioner’s lands application process in areas where the unsettled land claim area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer. Can the Minister please explain to this House what arrangements were made with the Yellowknife Dene First Nation to allow this land to be sold instead of the common practice of returning the lease in the areas where land claims are not settled? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I'm just going to assume I know this answer already but I'm going to ask it anyway: has this been shared with the communities and are the councils informed of their ability to do that? Because there seems to be some confusion out there so I'm wondering if it has been available to the communities that that’s what they can do. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the Minister for that answer. This past summer, the contract was awarded to a southern company for Highway No. 7. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain how much local workforce was used for this project?

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister and again I apologize and I realize we're talking about 2017-2018, but I'm hoping that when you guys start doing this junior kindergarten because I realize we're utilizing that presently in my region, so if when you're talking about the survey you can start talking to them about learning centre. So I guess it's just about it's just a bit of a comment, and I thank the Minister for his answers. That'll be all, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, with the construction season for highways coming to an end, as we heard in the House yesterday, Mr. Speaker, with that in mind, can the Minister of Transportation explain how the department maximizes its involvement of northern businesses?