Bill Braden

Mr. Speaker, thank you. Following on the heels of my colleague’s statement, I, too, want to address the matter of the proposal to relocate the Territorial Treatment Centre to Hay River.

For many years the NWT’s only care facility, I believe, for young children with these severe behaviour problems has been the TTC facility here in Yellowknife.

For several months the idea has been in play to relocate this centre to Hay River. The proposal is based on some very expensive renovations to an existing old building with limited capacity, compared with putting those dollars into the now vacant Dene K...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to continue to work on aspects of this that can help keep families and their children connected at least if not across the lake, here in our own community. If a family has a youngster in TTC right now in residential care, is this the best option for them? When TTC closes, are there any other options available in Yellowknife for continuing that kind of service for families who are based here? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to get some sense of the demand or need for this kind of service. Right now, the Minister has advised that there are some eight being looked after. Is there indeed a waiting list? Do we have a capacity issue with this kind of facility and is there potential for utilizing the Dene K’onia centre as well as perhaps retaining some kind of service here in Yellowknife? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister advise what considerations or options have been included in this plan for future employment options for the Bosco Homes' employees currently employed here in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this Year of the Veteran, it is a great honour to recognize two constituents who are veterans: Tom Eagle and Jan Stirling. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Chair. The timing was indeed the topic that committee spent the most time exploring. In listening to Mr. Zoe’s point about more public consultation, I think that, with the efforts that were made, I don’t know that we would generate a lot more. I think there is a very broad acceptance of a fixed election date. Now, I think people are expecting us to work out the one that is the best for the most situations. Madam Chair, I would speak in favour of the motion, personally.

As Mr. Roland and I have had two elections now in the front end of winter, I don’t relish the thought of...

I am very confident, Mr. Speaker, that what we will find out through the investigation here will only benefit workers from Nunavut.

The Minister does make a very valid point in that we do have a hard-won agreement with our sister territory, Nunavut, to share the resources and the responsibilities of running this WCB that we can share. I think that is a good arrangement. He also made the point that when we proceed on legislation, we have to be careful to proceed in tandem so that both territories can accommodate the legislative process and the changes that we see as required. But, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The initiative that I have proposed, and my colleague from Nunakput is seconding, is not a small or a lightly undertaken initiative. The function of the WCB is one that is essential to the success and the stability of our workers and our workforce in virtually every endeavour here in the NWT, in our communities, in our governments, in our small businesses and big businesses too. Mr. Speaker, over my time here as a Member of this Legislative Assembly, I have had frequent traffic with a number of workers who have come to me with what really is a common story of in some...

Mr. Speaker, the on-line chat sites and dialogues that go on serve a certain purpose. I am wondering, in light of the fact that His Excellency Mr. Cellucci is, I understand, soon going to be retiring as the ambassador to Canada, we will have a new American ambassador. Would the Premier consider being among the first in Canada to extend an invitation for the new American ambassador to visit the Northwest Territories in person? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Premier’s inclusion of a number of areas of international concern and interest that we share. I wanted to ask the Premier if he would undertake to create a dialogue that we could have directly, as people of the Northwest Territories, with the American people and their officials on these significant associations. Certainly I would put caribou, missile defence and, in the not-too-distant future, Mr. Speaker, what will be a contentious issue; that of fresh water. Can the Premier help us get together with the Americans and talk about these issues?...