Bob Bromley

I’d like to call the Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us for consideration today: tabled documents 4, 30, 38, 62, 75, 103 and 135, as well as Bills 4, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and Minister’s statements 65 and 88. What is the wish of committee, Mrs. Groenewegen?

The Minister for the Department of Transportation mentioned that the Cabinet or somebody followed standard practice which included, apparently, amending rules. I’m wondering what message this sends out to our public, to our colleagues, to our businesses. Can they simply change the rules or are rules in fact put in place for a reason?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to chuckle, Mr. Speaker, I did not say the word “broken.” I said the word “changed the rules.” I believe the Auditor General has used the word “amended the rules” and I was looking for a synonym that was plain language because I know our public are listening. So if the Premier chooses to interpret that as broken, well that seems to reflect a sensitivity on his part, but in fact, I used the word “changed the rules” and in fact the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. I thought she was at the meeting, but I’ll certainly make sure the seniors’ committee is corresponding with the Minister with that full information and request. Again, like the Anti-Poverty Alliance, the NWT seniors are calling for a coordinated and cross-government approach. Nothing new. The Minister is responsible for the well-being of seniors. Could she commit to updating her current seniors’ issues action plan with these inputs and reporting to committee again on this renewed strategy and again on the Coalition Against...

I’ll take that as a yes, the Minister’s staff will sit down with these folks.

On Monday, Mr. Speaker, I asked the Minister to report back on the results of last week’s Coalition Against Family Violence meeting. The NWT Seniors’ Society is calling, as we heard from my colleague Ms. Bisaro, for the phase 3 of the Action Plan on Family Violence to make elder abuse a priority for phase 3 work. Will the Minister include this in the debriefing from the meeting and report back to committee on how this important element of the family violence equation can be given priority? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Barb Hood, executive director, and Ron MacLellan, researcher, with NWT Seniors’ Society. I’d also like to recognize Yellowknife Seniors’ Society president Merlyn Williams, executive director Vivian Squires, and program coordinator Yvonne Quick. The NWT Status of Women executive director Lorraine Phaneuf is here, community development coordinator Sammy Dechief, and program staff Annemieke Mulders, Lois Little of Lutra Associates and Weledeh resident for sure, and of course, we can’t forget our seniors amongst them, Mr. Ed Jeske, again, one of my...

Again, that just elevates my concern. Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations spends hundreds of thousands on this. I mean, that’s our lead. They’re there to provide advice, I learned yesterday, and that’s who should be doing this work. We just have so many competing demands that I totally disagree with this new decision to spend yet more hundreds of thousands of dollars in every department on Aboriginal consultation units when we are Aboriginal people, we deal with Aboriginal people every day, we hire Aboriginal people, our staff are Aboriginal people, we are Aboriginal people, a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up with my Member’s statement with questions to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. First I’d like to ask the Minister to explain his actions on the granting of a 147 square kilometre lease in the Norman Wells block transfer area. Since the Minister thoroughly informed himself of his powers and obligations before signing this lease, what particular legislative, regulatory and policy references guided the Minister in the lease of this land, which the sole unclaimed lands in the block land transfer are surrounding the community of Norman...

Thanks for that information. Is that, like, the first of three? Is there still three, sort of, modest-sized turbines being planned there? Thank you.

I guess the Minister has elevated my concern if this is happening across all departments. I mean, again, I say good grief. We have so much experience in this area. I mean, I just can’t feature it. This is a waste of valuable resources. We have so many competing demands. We’re talking about kids’ lives here today and we have to start getting real here. Thank you.