Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know there is a rental scale review. We’re expecting the results fairly soon and we’ll take whatever steps we can to do it on a timely basis, recognizing that it’s a big issue for all of the communities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that’s going to be the key element of our communications package. Any of the Ministers that travel to anybody’s riding, the Member or the MLA representing that region or community is made aware of it well in advance and there will be an opportunity. Any time I go to a community I find it only helps if you have the MLA representing help to introduce you to their constituents. I think that’s the way to get things done.

The way I look at it is we’ll have to confirm the numbers, finalize a proposal. Whether it be a loan guarantee or a no-interest loan proposal will have to be brought forward. We’d have to discuss it at Cabinet, and if we have a positive response, then we would go forward on that basis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that the three northern Premiers will probably get together before the next Council of Federation meeting. Normally the three Premiers get together to set the stage for the discussions that will happen when all of the Premiers are together. My expectation is probably the first chance for all the Premiers to get together is the end of November. I will have to confirm it, but my expectation is we will probably have a chance to get together before then. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We will be discussing that in our Cabinet retreat and we’re prepared to discuss it at the first opportunity in Caucus.

Thank you. We normally wait until we go through our strategic planning exercise with the whole Caucus where we, as a government of the 17th Assembly, identify our vision, we identify our priorities and then we develop our goals and objectives. At that point we’ll be giving specific marching orders to the departments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that the newspapers have to sell papers, and that wasn’t a quote of mine.

My approach always has been to involve as many Members as possible. Whenever I travelled as a Minister, I always invited some of the Members along. A lot of times when we went to the United States, I’d bring at least two Members along. On several occasions where I was invited for speaking engagements, if I couldn’t go, I would ask a Member to cover for me. On trips I couldn’t go, I’d also ask Members to attend on my behalf.

This is an item that we put on our agenda for the Cabinet...

Thank you. It was my intention to debrief with the MLAs on the different Aboriginal governments, the regions. I could also do it collectively, if that is the wish of the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Tom Beaulieu will be absent from the House today to attend a funeral in Fort Resolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. They were very good for me, first of all, because the Dehcho Grand Chief is planning to organize the community feast for me in Fort Providence at some point in November, and he wants me to visit all of the different institutions there and meet all of the people again. So I was happy with that. I’m very pleased to do so. We’re working on a date.

We had a good discussion on where the Dehcho First Nation is at, the Dehcho process and how his views are on the land use planning framework, how the different governments can interact, and we had a discussion on devolution and...