Statements in Debates
I’m talking about a particular mandate that this group would be empowered with. If they decide that the treatment problem is significant enough, as I’ve been saying for nine years, that people have said over the last six weeks during the municipal elections, people said over four weeks of the last territorial election, that half the population of the Northwest Territories is expecting some type of response on this particular issue. If they say a treatment centre is needed, what is the Minister of Health and Social Services willing to do?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked yet again about the concern of the lack of a treatment centre here in the Northwest Territories. I’m committed behind this problem in such a way that it doesn’t have to happen here in Yellowknife; it can happen anywhere that it can be properly resourced to treat people who have problems. Yes, as the Member for Yellowknife, it would be nice if it was here, but I care about the problem more than where it shows up. That’s what’s truly important. I’ll make a deal with the Minister of Health today. I’ll stop nagging about this issue if...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With 1,082 days and approximately 18 hours left in our term, there is still time for the Minister of Health to finally do the right thing. What is the right thing, you might want to ask. Well, it is still time to address the need for a treatment centre for people who are addicted to hard drugs such as crack, crystal meth and even prescription drug abuse. I am confident that I have raised this issue alone at least six or seven times in this term alone. I have mentioned this particular problem countless times in the last term of the 16th and even in the 15th Assembly, and...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to know a little more about this various group of people and when they’re expected to deliver a decision. I couldn’t quite hear the Minister’s last comment on his response, although I was listening very carefully. Is he expecting them to provide him a report that he can table here in the Legislative Assembly by the end of this particular year, and if that’s not the case, when will be the case that we’ll expect a report to be tabled with those types of recommendations, and who is this particular group that he can inform the public?
That’s certainly good news. I’m glad to hear that it sounds like we’re making headway on this particular file. This particular group that the Minister is able to form, which I have to admit this is public news now for everyone, is he able to describe what mandate this particular group has? Do they have the power to make the suggestion and provide a direction to the Minister of Health to build a treatment centre in the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the people who solved the technical problem.
It gives me great pleasure to recognize some of the people who have already been recognized, but I think it’s important to highlight their contributions to the territory by mentioning them here.
I’d like to always recognize Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford, a personal friend and long-time friend of everyone in this building.
Mr. Speaker, Kim Doyle is now the new executive director of YK Seniors, and she served me very well as a constituency assistant. With her is Jeff Renaud, who hails from, I believe, Victoria, if...
My next question to the Minister of Finance is: Would he be willing to investigate the process and the potential cost of what it would be to, in this particular regard, what would it cost the GNWT to set up a potential film tax credit? That way we can have something for future discussion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of film tax credit comes up from time to time and it was broached to me recently. The question was, quite simply: Why doesn’t the GNWT have one and present one to industry? It really came on the heels as a reminder that Arctic Air is booking its second season. My question to the Minister of Finance is: What type of process is involved in establishing a tax credit, such as film tax credit, that would help encourage industry to invest and do work here in the Northwest Territories? The process, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the answer from the Minister but the Governance Council, as I pointed out earlier, had already felt the decision of the Appeals Tribunal was not improper and unreasonable as to how it applies to the policies. Due to a fair bit of research we have been doing, we have not been able to find a conflict policy for it to apply to. In other words, they didn’t breach the policy because there is no policy. Ultimately, that is the question. It’s not about the specific example of names when I say this case; it’s about the bigger picture of how we deal with them in the future. Therefore, I...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to acknowledge the fine group we have in the gallery for the Coalition Against Family Violence and, more specifically, the group from the Status of Women. Mr. Speaker, one of our Pages, Heather Flannigan, I would like to recognize as well. Finally, I would like to recognize my favourite table officer and I have no doubt yours as well, Anthony W.J. Whitford. One of our favourite guys here. Thank you.