Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate that. I just noticed on page 337, though, it is a reduction of one position. Is that where this $112,000 has come from, or is it something else? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my colleagues. I would like to say the fans were entertained with some great hockey, especially the Old-Timers Tournament, where they got to witness those young gentlemen skate their hearts out.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all the sponsors, community and regional businesses, for their support. I would like to say a big thanks to the referees from Yellowknife, Hay River, and Fort Simpson, who did a great job at all three weekends. As well, to the rec staff and the groups that ran the canteen. A+ job. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for her answer. I guess we are going to have to disagree on this. Unfortunately, she makes the decisions, and I do not. We will have to live with that.

In regards to the recreation funding, the honourable Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh talked about it. When was the last time this program has been evaluated? In other words, the funding that is being allocated per community, when was the last time it was evaluated besides when it was implemented? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at numbers in the communities, and I see 13. Maybe that is, the lowest is a concerning one. I am not too sure. Looking at these numbers, Wrigley's has the fourth highest call for services, and we only have two patrols. I'm looking at Jean Marie, and they have had 32 calls for services and 19 patrols. Jean Marie is actually on a road system. Wrigley's has to wait on ferries and that. My concern is: how is Wrigley being serviced with only two patrols there, if that is what the numbers are correct according to the business plan? Can the Minister confirm...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just going to go back to the position in Nahendeh there and those three positions. The Minister said if it is not broken, we are not going to fix it. Well, is this program broken now and that is why we are fixing it? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Does the Minister or does the department know how many times the RCMP are going into the communities that do not have RCMP, including the part-time detachment of Gameti and Whati, or Gameti and Wrigley, more specifically Wrigley? Are you able to tell us how many times the patrols are in these communities? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the deputy minister for her answer. I am still struggling with this, though. I am not talking about retirement. I am not talking about leave. I am talking: what is the best service for the residents of the Northwest Territories? When I talk about looking at the position being in Fort Smith, again, we are talking two taxbased communities that don't utilize or need that service as much as the smaller communities. So, when we are looking at these cuts, it was not logically done, in my opinion, because most of the work, the capacity that needs to be done is in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to community policing, I am looking at the business plan, and I am trying to understand how the department responds to issues in the smaller communities that do not have detachments. Can the Minister explain how many trips are supposed to occur in the communities, starting with Jean Marie? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I'm struggling with this decision. If you're taking it out of Fort Simpson, which we have six small communities, four very small communities that are designated authorities, and to keep it in Fort Smith, which is Hay River and Fort Smith, they're not going to use those resources. They're not going to tap into this as much as the small communities need it.

I understand the technology, but my biggest concern is: where is the department's commitment to developing the capacity in these small communities? If you're using technology by Internet and that, great, but where...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am very concerned that this government is looking at the lottery funding as an opportunity to get away from our commitment through the money from the $650,000. It is a concern. The money that is in lotteries presently, for the last five years, has been going to the five partners' organizations, which is the grassroots. The other people on the other side can shake their heads and say, no, this is not what we are doing, but this is how I am looking at it.

This is how I am feeling this government is utilizing lotteries, once it comes in the system, that it becomes part of...