Debates of August 16, 2007 (day 11)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to offer congratulations to a member of our public service, Mr. Richard Popko, who was recently honoured by the Fur Institute of Canada with the Jim Bourque Award in recognition of his support of the sustainable development of Canada’s modern fur trade.

Richard is known for his commitment to the principles of sustainable use of wildlife. These principles include humane trapping practices and furthering indigenous peoples’ cultures. He is a good example of the vital stewardship role that trappers play in the conservation of wildlife resources.

Born in the English city of Nottingham, Richard’s family immigrated to southern Ontario when he was very young. As a boy, he spent his time hunting, trapping and fishing. His passion for outdoor life and learning about animals led him to enrol in the University of Guelph for a degree in biology.

He began his career with the Government of the Northwest Territories soon after his graduation and was first assigned to posts in the Eastern Arctic. It was here he met his wife, Napatchee. They now have two sons, David and Michael.

After working in the Eastern Arctic, Richard and his family moved to northern Ontario to live out his long-time dream. For five years, they lived on and maintained their own trapline. However, the lure of the North was too much for them and they returned north of 60 in the mid-1980s. They moved to Norman Wells, where Richard took on the position of conservation education and resource development officer. During this time he was heavily involved with local fur harvesters in trapping programs and workshops.

In 1995, Richard jumped at the opportunity to become the region’s wildlife technician and get back into research, fieldwork and away from the office and a desk. He has become known for his contagious enthusiasm for the trapping industry and the natural beauty of the Sahtu. His enthusiasm and support is appreciated by his colleagues

in the GNWT, the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board and other government departments and agencies. He has worked on many field studies and scientific papers that contribute to our collective knowledge about wildlife resources.

We should all be proud to have a man of such integrity, dedication and ability in public service. His enthusiasm and passion for the conservation and sustainable use of our wildlife resources should be recognized by all of us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories, GNWT, strives to create a work environment that recognizes professionalism, leadership, integrity and respect for others. These shared values help public service employees adhere to high standards that maintain and foster public confidence in the government. To ensure continued public confidence in the territorial public service, the government is considering the feasibility of whistleblower protection for employees in the GNWT.

There are a number of different approaches to achieve the goal of whistleblower protection from stand-alone legislation to regulations under an existing act to government policy. It is important to consider which approach would be most practical for the GNWT.

At the appropriate time today, I will be tabling a consultation discussion paper: The Feasibility of Whistleblower Protection in the Government of the Northwest Territories. The paper is designed to encourage employee participation and discussion in the development of whistleblower protection for the territorial public service. The discussion paper is available on the Department of Human Resources website.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, a message was sent to all employees, along with information posters, inviting them to provide comments on the concept of whistleblower protection and what should be included by September 30, 2007. The unions representing GNWT public service employees have also been invited to comment.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce that, after extensive consideration by the residents of Enterprise and their council, the Settlement of Enterprise will become a hamlet on October 29, 2007.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has been working with the Enterprise council and residents to explain the differences between a hamlet and a settlement and what the changed roles and responsibilities mean. There are many benefits to the community in becoming a hamlet, including the ability to pass legally enforceable bylaws, the authority to develop land management and development schemes, the ability to acquire and dispose of real property, and authority and control over capital programs and infrastructure.

The new hamlet will take over its jurisdiction within the same boundary currently enjoyed by the Settlement of Enterprise. The new hamlet will also become the owners of the municipal infrastructure currently owned by the GNWT in the community.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will continue to support the hamlet of Enterprise through increased financial support for operations and maintenance funding.

As well, for the first time, the community will receive funds allocated for capital through the capital funding formula and a funding allocation available through the Canada-NWT Gas Tax Agreement.

The community has selected October 1, 2007, for its election, at which time a new hamlet council will be elected. On this date, for the first time in Enterprise, the community will have the authority to elect a mayor separate from the rest of the council.

Community residents are looking forward to the increased authority, responsibility, local control and accountability that will come with this change. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is also looking forward to continuing to partner with the new hamlet council to build capacity as it addresses local issues and priorities.

I would like to congratulate the community of Enterprise for taking this very important step towards greater responsibility and autonomy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Housing in the NWT, in terms of availability, quality and affordability for renters and owners, continues to be a major barrier to personal, community and economic progress across the NWT. Here in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, the YWCA Transitional Housing Program and the Yellowknife Housing Authority continue to see demand for their housing stock well beyond the supply. The housing authority has seen a waiting list of over 100 families in need over the past three years, with a significant number of those on the waiting list being seniors and persons with disabilities.

Affordability is an issue. Mr. Speaker, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation tells us a typical residence in Yellowknife will sell for close to $300,000 this year. That’s up 7 percent in each of the past two years. Vacancy rates for this year will be about 2.5 percent, tightening up from last year. The average two-bedroom apartment in Yellowknife rents for about $70 more than it did in the past year.

At the territorial level, Mr. Speaker, we previously have seen in this House vigorous discussion on the merits of the ATCO Novel housing project. This is an innovative project, Mr. Speaker, that will have seen several hundred housing units converted from a construction camp to the pipeline project and the permanent housing in virtually every community in the NWT.

This would have been, I believe, a very viable part of our housing needs. Mr. Speaker, it seems that this is going to be something that’s not going to be on our radar screen because of changes in the way the pipeline project is going to be constructed.

The NWT community housing needs survey in 2004, Mr. Speaker, showed that 2,260 households in the NWT are in core need. That means they need some kind of adjustment, change or replacement, or opportunity to move into something that is more appropriate.

Mr. Speaker, the Bureau of Statistics indicates that about 1,600 new homes will be needed to satisfy population growth and overcrowding between now and 2014. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, colleagues, Mr. Speaker. The NWT continues to have a dramatic housing need. Of course, demonstrated by that information, it amplifies other social problems, but we face considerable constraints in solving this issue, Mr. Speaker. Developments, red hot economies all across western Canada, labour shortages increasing, materials supply costs have added pressures on how we are going to solve this problem.

So what I am looking for, Mr. Speaker, what we should all be looking for, are answers on how we are going to meet our housing needs, current and future. What are the options our government is going to be looking at to ensure affordable and adequate housing? I am going to have some questions for the Minister responsible later this afternoon, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there’s an old saying that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But I think with this ECE housing transfer issue, they are trying to invent that to say if it ain’t broke, let’s break it.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, we brought motions forward recently, asking Housing to take the ability to do the assessments for the tenants back from ECE because, Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing for months now that this is just not working. I don’t know what it’s going to take for the department to realize it’s not working, that they should transfer the money back to the Housing Corporation to look after the assessment themselves.

We have 30 to 40 forms that are behind people in an authority office looking to pay their rent, but they can’t pay their rent because these assessment forms are not done. It seems to be that this is very low on the totem pole and the government tries to justify it by saying we need one-stop shopping. Well, one-stop shopping is fine, Mr. Speaker. It's fine down south when you have a two-hour drive between point A and point B, but in a lot of communities we don’t have to worry about one-stop shopping. Who is this one-stop shopping supposed to be for? Is it for the benefit of the tenants or is it for the benefit of ECE or the Housing Corporation?

I still can’t figure out why they took that responsibility away from the Housing Corporation. They were doing a good job. It was good for the tenants because they were assessed. They paid their rent when they had the money. Now the housing authorities are having problems getting clear audits because they can’t collect rent for three months back because the assessments are not done. There’s not much blame put on the regional level, Mr. Speaker, because a lot of problems we do have in the government start at the top. I mean there’s 14 PYs assigned to this transfer of $32 million. Where did they go? They didn’t go to the regional level. I am sure they didn’t go to the regional level because they seem to be swamped with all the work that they have.

Mr. Speaker, it’s time for this government to realize that they did make a mistake. Be big enough to admit it and correct it for the good of the tenants who don’t have to be running all over the place. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to pay honour to the people in Fort Good Hope in the Sahtu region. From time to time, with our people across the Northwest Territories, it’s time to stop, put the issues aside and reflect inside our hearts. Today, the people of Fort Good Hope have organized themselves, with the support of many wonderful people in our region and across the Northwest Territories, to support families, children, grandparents and the people of the Sahtu for the victims of the plane crash that happened there last year today.

Mr. Speaker, issues that are very important for the Northwest Territories such as my colleagues are speaking on and are talking about today, sometimes in our communities those issues are put aside and we look at the real human issues of how to support these young children who lost brothers, uncles, grandparents…One family in Fort Good Hope, young children, lost their mother and their father; the father to the plane crash and the mother to cancer. The parents are gone and these children are orphans. The system sometimes has to play a role to take care of them.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, we put aside these difficult issues that we face on a day-to-day basis. As MLAs, we are faced, numerous times throughout our terms, to deal with the real hard issues, the ones that really hit us in the heart and tests our spirit of compassion and for some thought to our children.

I want to thank the Department of Health and Social Services from last year for really supporting the family in Fort Good Hope. I can clearly remember a phone call from the mayor in Fort Smith offering me anything that his community can do to help these families in Fort Good Hope. There were numerous calls across the North, from Hay River to Kugluktuk and right down the valley to help these families.

Honouring them today is a real big thing, especially in Fort Good Hope. There are many good people. And this government too, this government went a long way to help the families. Mr. Speaker, I want to say to the people of Fort Good Hope, to the families and to the young kids who lost their friends, loved ones, brothers or sisters, parents, that we are with them in our prayers today and will continue to be from here on in. Mahsi cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, this is the third time I have raised the issue. There are two Department of Transportation crews that work on Highway No. 3. The Yellowknife crew is responsible for the section from Yellowknife to just before the Behchoko access road, the junction. The Edzo crew is responsible for the access road to Chan Lake towards Providence.

Mr. Speaker, I asked the current Minister of Transportation in February of this year if he would consider transferring the responsibility for maintaining a section of Highway No. 3 between Boundary Creek and Behchoko access from the Yellowknife crew to the Edzo crew. He replied that all maintenance crews that DOT does have are employed and live in Edzo at this point. But, Mr. Speaker, the Minister was mistaken. I am referring to the Boundary Creek to Behchoko junction road maintenance. The Yellowknife crew currently have responsibility for this section of the road, and we want the Edzo crew to take over the Yellowknife stretch to the Behchoko junction.

Mr. Speaker, it just makes sense that these jobs should be filled by Behchoko residents rather than have workers and equipment from Yellowknife travel as far as 100 kilometres to the access road and extra costs in time and fuel. It is more efficient to use the nearby Edzo crew. As I have said before, maintenance work on the highway is an important source of employment for the community of Behchoko. It should be a government priority to ensure that these jobs are filled by people from local communities whenever possible.

Mr. Speaker, this area is in the Monfwi jurisdiction. The Wekeezhii boundary, the Wekeezhii Land Water Board also is within the boundary that we signed between the GNWT, federal government and Tlicho Government. It is in a settlement area. Our people should have the responsibility for maintenance and the job that goes along with maintaining the stretch of Highway No. 3.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Department of Transportation at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the value of arts funding, particularly the importance of arts funding that benefits the communities. As a small jurisdiction, we can be proud that we have a professional performing arts centre in the NWT. This fully equipped live performance theatre is located in Yellowknife, but the mandate of the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre reaches to the NWT community. NACC is mandated to encourage the development of the performing arts from all cultural traditions in the entire Territories.

Mr. Speaker, NACC has existed more than 20 years. Its growth and development over that time was largely possible through volunteers and support from community groups and business sponsors. NACC’s board of directors and administration have taken their territorial mandate very seriously. For example, during their 2006-07 season, community outreach workshops and performances were hosted in six communities outside of Yellowknife. Now, this is a great start given the limited resources the arts centre has, but we all know that there are 33 communities in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, it is important that community audiences and artists are exposed to a variety of cultural and artistic events. Young artists need to be encouraged to develop. Not all of our young people are involved in sports. We have to provide opportunities for performances and inspiration for actors, dancers and musicians. We must admire NACC for expanding their Community Outreach Program despite an unchanged GNWT core funding of $30,000 a year since 1983. Over the past 24 years, no adjustments were made, not even to acknowledge the rising costs due to forced growth. NACC has submitted a detailed proposal to the Department of ECE asking for an increase of $50,000. This funding is essential to sustain and expand NACC’s territorial program. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, ECE did not respond favourably. Supporting community outreach for performing arts is obviously not a priority of this government.

Mr. Speaker, I make a plea for the value of the arts funding. Allowing the requested increase would mean an annual core funding of $80,000 for NACC, and this is still a very moderate amount of money for the value that we receive in return. The funding would allow the arts and culture to find expression in our communities and it would allow more communities to experience the importance of arts as audiences and performers. I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Adding funding to the long-established and well run Northern Arts and Cultural Centre would multiply its value because this minimal government spending would leverage many volunteer activities making these community events possible.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Marilyn Barnes, the Hay River member of the NACC board of directors, for drawing this situation to my attention and thank her for her tireless efforts in developing and supporting artistic and cultural events in Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During a visit in Paulatuk, I had an opportunity to meet casually with the mayor, council and residents of Paulatuk. An issue the mayor, council and public raised is the completion of a 35 kilometre plus access trail from Paulatuk to Rat Lake gravel source and the recent erosion problem that has occurred in Paulatuk. The erosion problem seems to be occurring all across the Beaufort because of climate change. I guess one can argue this fact.

Mr. Speaker, the previous MLA, the late Mr. Vincent Steen, was instrumental to work with the mayor and council of Paulatuk in accessing funds for the start of the access trail to Rat Lake. The hamlet, with the assistance of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, have worked together on this project for the past seven and a half years, which I understand was funded $50,000 annually towards this project.

The hamlet informed me that they are now at a point where they cannot continue this project because they require assistance for further funds to construct a bridge so they can gain access to the Rat Lake gravel source.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to applaud and thank the Hamlet of Paulatuk and MACA in working together to try and reach a much needed gravel source for municipal requirements. At this point in time, I would be disappointed if the Department of MACA and Transportation decided not to continue and fund and complete this project. Completion of the access road to the Rat Lake gravel source will address the long-term needs for the Hamlet of Paulatuk.

Mr. Speaker, the hamlet is requesting assistance from the Department of MACA and Transportation to complete the access road to Rat Lake. They are requesting that these two departments sit down with the council to discuss and design in which to complete this access road.

In closing, it is encouraging to see the Hamlet of Paulatuk and the government departments have such a close working relationship on this project. I would continue to encourage the government to continue working with the Hamlet to find funds to complete this access road. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the CBC provides a vital link across the North, linking all of the communities, providing us a way to keep track of what is happening in this vast territory. We have 33 communities as well as Fort Chipewyan. Mr. Speaker, however, there is a significant problem, in my mind, on how resources are distributed across the North when it comes to CBC coverage. In Yellowknife, we look at the phone listings. There are 74 positions for CBC. In Inuvik, they do somewhat better. They have five to cover the North. The South Slave to cover all of the southern part of the territory including Fort Chip, there is one person. There is very little community reporting ability available. The person in the South Slave is a long-term employee, one of the best in the business. She just took on territorial duties so she has even less time to go to the communities than she had before. The paper media in the South Slave from Hay River and Fort Smith are commenting that they are the only ones covering events because the CBC is no longer present there. In Inuvik, they have the same struggles trying to cover all of the communities they have up there with the five people they have and the limited resources.

Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue with CBC. As a northern communication arm, it is so important to us. They should be taking the steps to redistribute these resources a little more equitably. Ideally, it would be nice if they had more resources that they could actually put out to the field. When you look at the positions that are there, 74 in Yellowknife, five for the whole Inuvik region and one for the whole South Slave, clearly the balance is not right. They have a ton of bureaucratic reasons why it is so and how important it is to have all of these folks huddled here in the capital. They don’t even have on-the-ground in-the-communities in-the-North community reporters like they used to have that they would call in with what is happening in their communities. So we have even less community input into this very important meeting that connects us all.

Mr. Speaker, I know that this is not a government issue, but this is a public forum. I know CBC is listening. CBC is important. They should be close to the people. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about issues surrounding the operation of Stanton Territorial Hospital. During the summer months, the surgery ward has remained closed. It has been closed on and off for the last few years. The excuse, Mr. Speaker, is usually staffing. With the surgery ward closed, patients are being housed in pediatrics. For many obvious reasons, the reliance on pediatrics to house surgery patients seems to be an accident waiting to happen.

Post-operative patients should not be subjected to further possibility of infection nor should they be housed in close proximity to our sick children. Nurses on the ward are having to look after both the pediatric patients and the surgery patients. Mr. Speaker, for a hospital of this size and responsibility, it just doesn’t seem appropriate that this practice is condoned.

Mr. Speaker, this government has a proposed plan to spend at least $27 million at Stanton for the next few years to renovate the hospital. Mr. Speaker, a major incentive for the renovations is to have better space utilization. Mr. Speaker, this is a noble idea. However, what I truly believe Stanton needs to do is refocus its operation on solely providing the delivery of medical services to our residents, to have the hospital fully staffed and resourced. We have been struggling with staffing at this facility for the past 10 years. How many studies, reports, consultants and committees are we going to need to have staffing issues addressed at this hospital?

Recent decisions are being made that just make people wonder what exactly the hospital is there for. Mr. Speaker, this definitely impacts staff morale. Recently, the patient lounge on the surgery ward was turned into four offices to house staff from the medical centre. Certainly, space is at a premium; this is true. But are we looking at turning an entire ward into office space? When you visit hospitals in southern Canada, they seem to have office complexes and buildings near the hospital to house administrative staff. The time has come that the government needs to seriously examine the idea of building a dedicated medical administrative building near Stanton Hospital. If we can’t get the capital dollars, let’s let the private sector step up to the plate and get involved in building this much needed building.

Mr. Speaker, a hospital should be just that, a hospital providing the delivery of health services for our residents, not an office building. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on the Member’s statement from the Member for Kam Lake, I just want to also speak a little bit about the issue surrounding Stanton Hospital. Mr. Speaker, I believe that, in this House, it is important that we get the job done based on what our constituents are telling us. Over the years, we have heard many questions and concerns about operations of the hospital, the morale, the deficit situation and such. I thought that, months ago, it would be a good idea for us to undertake a human resource review and get feedback from the staff there as to what the issues are and how we could address them. I supported this initiative because I really feel that it is much more important to be productive than to just be critical, although being critical can help too. Mr. Speaker, I do respect the work that the hospital people do. There are many people in my riding and right on my street who work at the hospital. I know there are lots of people who are happy working at the hospital without much issue, but there are many others. There are some real serious issues that have been brought to us that we owe them to look into.

Now, the human resource review that we have undertaken, we haven’t got the results of that yet. We have a briefing scheduled, but I just want to put it on record that I feel like I am getting very conflicting information. On that, there is already a campaign or something going on that things are really not that bad. I just want to say that I am not interested in targeting anybody or anything. This is not a critical exercise. I still have a good will and good intention with the days remaining to do something productive and something good. I would like to call upon the Minister and the officials and everybody who is involved in this study to give us the goods, give us the information. Try not to make it anything other than what it is, because I believe, Mr. Speaker, if we don’t know what it is, we can’t fix it. We can’t fix things unless we have all the facts. On Monday, when we are having a briefing, I will be expecting full information and a very good plan as to how we go about addressing issues that I am sure will come about, about how to improve the morale situation there or any issues that they may have and to make it easier for our human resources in the hospital. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT has an abundance of many things, one of which is land. What we don’t have is an abundance of affordable lots to build houses on, Mr. Speaker. I would like to discuss an issue with regard to the City of Yellowknife’s application for land and the process involved.

The City of Yellowknife applied for a transfer in February 2006, for six parcels of land, and all the land, with the exception of two properties, have been transferred. A year or more later, Mr. Speaker, in 2007, the city’s land application was returned, with MACA saying that they do not agree with the scope of the request. Therefore, revise it and then maybe we will look at it again. Well, the city prefers not to revise their application and remove the parcels that MACA doesn’t want to consider. The city would rather have this, Mr. Speaker. They want a fair, open process, something that is transparent where they can hear from any third party regarding their interest on this land that the city wishes to seek for disposition. So what land, we may ask? Well, Mr. Speaker, the areas of concern are Tin Can Hill, Yellowknife golf course, Grace Lake, northeast end of the city and even Pilot’s Monument. MACA is saying they cannot circulate the city’s application because they can’t offer the land. That is, they are saying it is not theirs to sell. The city is of the opinion that the decision should be made after consultation. So, Mr. Speaker, where is the fair public process? Certainly it is not in this situation.

Secondly, in February 2007, the city expressed interest in reviewing options for purchasing the Con and Rycon trailer courts. In July of the same year, the city passed a motion to acquire the common areas of the trailer courts and recommended that MACA should offer fee-simple titles directly to the existing lease holders. Mr. Speaker, MACA responded that they would be required to consult again through the IMA on the disposition of lands to the residents and the city. So the city has requested they proceed so the title transfer can occur by early 2008. Mr. Speaker, this is twice that the IMA process is being invoked. It seems like an unfair hurdle that the city is being put through this process twice.

Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of AOC was to see the improvement of land transfer and to expedite the land transfer process. The Housing Corporation received more positions and so did MACA, but what are they doing? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister later today. How do we get rid of the red tape and start transferring lots so we can build houses? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is with great pleasure I have some constituents in the gallery with us today. Mrs. Juanita Green and her son Nelson, who is checking out the skylights. Welcome. I also have a couple of special people up in the gallery, as well, today. My nephew Aaron Ramsay and his sister, Julianna Ramsay. Welcome. They are here to watch their big brother, Ryan Ramsay, who is a Page here in the Assembly with us this week.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a family friend, Mr. Wayne Sweeney, from Yellowknife, and visiting from Richmond, B.C., Alison Fraser. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, as I highlighted in my Member's statement, the importance of having a maintenance contract on the Edzo crew from Boundary Creek to the Rae access road. Mr. Speaker, we need to respect the jurisdiction, the Monfwi Gogha De Niitlee traditional territory on which Highway No. 3 is situated and operated. My question is to the Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation. What efforts have the Minister's department made to ensure it uses local workforce whenever possible? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The department, along with many other departments in our government, have been using and will continue to ask for local workforce in all its communities and regions that we represent. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was just the beginning of my oral questions here. My next question, Mr. Speaker, is I asked the former Minister of the Department of Transportation to consider the pros and cons of transferring the responsibility for Highway No. 3 maintenance to Behchoko, taking into consideration the cost efficiency as well as the need to stimulate employment outside of the capital city. The Minister was to report back to this Assembly. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if this work has been done and, if so, what were the results? If not, why not? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. No, I cannot confirm if that study has been completed, nor deny it. Thank you, honourable Members. I have not requested the department to see if this work has been completed. It's only now been brought to my attention, but having our base at Behchoko right now is suitable for our current needs. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been over a year, almost two years now, since I last asked that question and the department was going to come out with a study and then come back to this Assembly, which they are currently still working on for almost two years now. I'm not sure how long it takes to supply that information. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to seek another question to the department and also to the Minister. So for the third time I will ask, Mr. Speaker, has the Minister considered the option of transferring the maintenance contract from Boundary Creek to Rae access road to be under the Edzo crew? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I actually heard a couple questions there and I'll follow up with the first one, which was the commitment to follow up on the study that's been previously committed. I can certainly do that. I'll check with the department and see where that assessment is at. As well, in answering the second part of his question is, I'll continue to do the same with the department and find out where the assessment and evaluation of extending the boundary from Behchoko to Boundary Creek. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the transferring of the contract; the sooner the better. So my next questions I guess would lead to that. Mr. Speaker, after all this time and out of courtesy to the Tlicho Government and the people of Behchoko, the Minister must make some effort to give this issue some consideration before the close of this 15th Assembly. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister agree to meet with the chief of Behchoko regarding the maintenance contract before the end of this Assembly and make a commitment to transfer the maintenance contract that is rightfully under Wekeezhii and Monfwi Gogha De Niitlee traditional area? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'll be glad to sit down with the chief of Behchoko. I believe we're organizing a meeting with the Tlicho chiefs some time towards the end of this month and I'll be glad to sit down and discuss that item separately with them. Mahsi.