Bob Bromley

I’m happy to hear we’re doing more than what the newspaper reported and officials of the department reported as a wait-and-see approach. Obviously we already know from B.C. officials that the flow of the river is being shaped through this new project, or will be shaped, to service peak need periods such as winter. So this takes us away from the natural flow, which we now understand has major impacts on river systems and basins which have evolved to require those seasonal peaks and lows to maintain diversity and so on. So I’m wondering, will the Minister commit to a more active intervention...

It is everything from progressive taxation to agricultural land use plans, wise wildlife stewardship and land availability, from support to local food production enterprises and our school and early childhood development programs. Our local food producers’, our community gardeners’ and advocacy groups’ work demonstrate that much can be done to strengthen food security for all through partnership, building capacity, economic development and policy renewal. I congratulate this excellent work and look forward to full support from this government. Mahsi.

Thanks for the comments from the Minister. That provides some assurance that we are focusing here. I’d like to know how the NWT Water Strategy will, in fact, guide us in responding to these sorts of things. We put a lot of money, time, resources and so on into that and I’ve been happy to participate in that. I think it’s a good project. I look forward to seeing the final document, but how will that guide us in responding to projects such as this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had become quite concerned when I learned about a 900 megawatt dam being proposed on the Peace River in British Columbia. It’s obvious that we’ve now learned there are massive impacts of previous dams to the Peace-Athabasca and the Slave River Delta and, of course, on down to the Mackenzie Basin. Apparently, according to the paper, we’re only getting notified of these sorts of things. Based on the record of the impacts of these sorts of things I’d like to know if the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources thinks that’s a sufficient position to be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to begin today by marking the passing of a great Northerner: Archie Buckley. Many of us enjoyed the rich bounty of our fishery as a staple of our diets thanks to Archie. He was the personification of hard work and respectful, sustainable resource use. Archie Buckley lived what we talk about when we say local food for local people.

The spirit demonstrated by Archie Buckley is being carried on in the cooperative work of this community. I recently attended an event sponsored by Ecology North, the Northern Nutrition Association and the Yellowknife Community Gardens...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I’d like to start by asking the Minister what is the cost of administering the current supplementary health system and what’s the anticipated cost of the new system under the Minister’s current proposal? Can she compare and contrast those costs for me? Thank you.

Thank you. It’s sad that the Minister doesn’t realize what the main point is here, that this consultation process has been a sham and that some extremely important aspects and sources of good insight for us have been skipped over in the process. I’ve had many comments from constituents on the quality and bias, for example, of the on-line survey, and I know the Minister has received those same comments, a survey which was also difficult to fill out with complete comments. Many have noted that the survey may not have been available to seniors that don’t have computers. I’m told that the, well, I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services, and I’d like to look at a consultation process following up on my questions on Monday. When I asked the Minister why the NWT Pharmaceutical Association’s offer of advice and AGM appearance to the department was not taken up, the Minister replied saying she didn’t invite Mr. Dolynny’s offered input because he was not the current association president, and that five-day notice of the AGM was too short for her staff to make the meeting. I’ve gathered information from the association which paints quite a...

Health care should be on the top of that list. Many have said they would even pay more tax to ensure coverage of everyone and to avoid co-payments when they are sick, elderly, and less able to pay. Let’s listen to what our employers and the taxpayers say and make fair health care for all priority number one. The public response has been clear, expressed eloquently through public submissions and beautifully captured by the Elders Parliament resolutions supporting supplementary health benefits for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, much of supplementary so-called health care is, in reality, basic health care...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.