Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate it. Yesterday, the Minister was talking about I think heavy equipment operators' facility thing there and saying that 60 per cent territorial government, 40 per cent federal government. My biggest struggle is why is this program being put in Fort Smith or utilizing the money in Fort Smith, where it cannot sit at the end of the road? Why couldn't it be located in maybe Fort Providence, where there is a lot of highways or Fort Simpson, as there are a lot of highways there available and a lot of industry available? So I'm asking why this was done this way...

Thank you to the Minister for his answer. I'm not sure that really solves the issue of unsettled unclaimed areas, so can the Minister please explain how these exemptions were made and applied besides the Executive Council? It seems the Executive Council is making these decisions that have an impact on the residents of the Northwest Territories in unsettled land claim areas. So again, can the Minister explain how these exemptions were made and apply that method to other cases in unsettled land claim areas across the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer. What are the government's rules for the sale of Commissioner's lands in regions without the settled land claim areas?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister, again, for his answer. I guess I'm a little concerned, if it's not part of that territory, then did they work with Yellowknife? But that would be further on, I'll be asking some questions on that. Will the Minister please explain if the arrangement made with the Yellowknives Dene or the Akaitcho First Nation or Regional Organization can be used in other unsettled areas? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister. I'm good with that. Once I get this information I can share with the communities, and I understand who the people are already in my riding who does the work. I again thank the Minister for clarifying that and deputy minister for clarifying that today. So thank you, Mr. Chair.

1992, that's a long time to follow through on a commitment. I appreciate the government's ability to do that. Could the Minister please provide this House, is there a tabled document that they can show, or was this a verbal commitment, a written commit? Can we table that document?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I was actually really impressed with those numbers considering I heard numbers lower than that before, so I'm very happy to hear that. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide us with what other work went to local companies, small businesses, in that area for this contract? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I again thank the Minister for his answer. It was a little bit short and it could have been more elaborate, but we'll work on that. Mr. Speaker, last session I spoke about how the department was able to guarantee that companies' commitment was upheld for northern involvement. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please explain to this House what mechanisms are used to ensure Northern involvement are in these contracts?

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister. I'll look for the commitment or the update after you give it to the community. I don’t want to be disrespectful to the community and work with them, so after that meeting they can maybe share it with me.

Now, I guess I'm going onto a bit of a wish list or what is not in this, but when we're talking about learning centres and that, and one doesn't fit all, so some of my smaller communities are looking at utilizing the school to use a learning centre. So part of this question there that that Minister is talking about has this been part of it. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my colleagues for giving me this extra time. Mr. Speaker, the week of construction had a positive impact on the community and people commented on the positive energy throughout the community and region. Mr. Speaker, on September 15th the elementary school and the high school attended a fire-feeding ceremony and drum dance where the community celebrated the construction. During this ceremony they brought in an elder from Wrigley, Angus Ekenale, who sang a special song to honour the ancient spirit of the 750-year-old tree. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize...