Brendan Bell

Mr. Speaker, again, I can’t provide that assurance. In the past it has been a $12,000 contribution, it has been cost shared, a shared responsibility with the city. The proposal this year from our government, recognizing that costs have indeed gone up, was to increase that to $15,000, recognizing that it should still be on a cost-shared basis. The city countered with full cost recovery only, turned down the $15,000 offer, wanted the $21,000 in full cost recoveries. So I can’t guarantee that we’ll come to a contractual arrangement, but I will guarantee that I will sit down and speak with the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we didn’t have life-guarding services last year. The contract notwithstanding, the city was unable to find people to do the life-guarding. Obviously it would be nice if there were lifeguards at all our NWT parks that are on water. I believe there are about 15 of them across the territory. I don’t believe there are any lifeguards at any others, unless there are municipalities providing that service. I can indicate to the Member that I have called the mayor’s office to discuss this matter. We have been playing phone tag. I do look forward to sitting down and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise Members that the diamond capital of North America is hosting a national diamond round table this week.

As many of you know, more than 100 delegates, representing the diamond industry, government and other stakeholders, are meeting in Yellowknife for two days this week to put the final touches on reports that play an integral part in the development of a national diamond strategy.

As Members are aware, Canada's provincial and Territorial Premiers have unanimously agreed to develop a national diamond strategy to ensure that this country...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that it is soon getting warm. I think the community has been in discussions with our department for some time. This is not something that was sprung on the community, and I do believe that if the community made the decision to run the piece of infrastructure and operate the freezer as a stopgap measure they could do so, and we can sit down then when I go up there to discuss going forward, how we deal with it, and deal with this season as well. I would be prepared to do that when I visit the community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me first preface my comments by saying that this government supports and recognizes how important the harvesting of country foods are to small communities, and we're supportive of traditional lifestyles and we recognize and acknowledge in past times it was very important to have this critical piece of community infrastructure, community freezers, in our more remote communities that weren't accessible by highway, Mr. Speaker. Times are changing. We've looked at divesting ourselves of these pieces of infrastructure, and we've done that through Public Works and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Snap Lake Diamond Project Socioeconomic Agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In many cases community freezers were not being well utilized anymore, and I know that the Member knows his riding well, and the Member’s insistence that Paulatuk residents do need this piece of infrastructure is one that I am listening to, but, Mr. Speaker, we think there are more cost effective options. We are truly concerned that because of the age of this piece of infrastructure that if it continues to operate in the manner it’s operating, there could be a situation where the power goes down, members of the community are not aware, food spoilage happens, and the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Dennis Marchiori, who is the Human Rights Act implementation coordinator, and also I am hoping my colleagues will join me in giving a warm welcome to Therese Boullard, who is the new director of Human Rights for the Northwest Territories. They have a lot of work to do. We know that we’re opening an office very soon and we wish them all the best. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. David Ramsay on March 29, 2004, regarding government investment into the northern manufacturing industry over the last 10 years.

The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has a number of programs that support manufacturing in the NWT. The business development fund provides contributions to a variety of businesses for a wide range of needs. The BDF contributions, plus additional Ministers' contributions, in the amount of almost $4 million have been provided since 1995 to businesses...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, certainly, and I know the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation presented us with some information. We have acknowledged that it was done on the best-case or worst-case scenario basis. We can’t know what the true cost would have been because we don’t know what the outcome of the tender would be. But I will certainly bring forward the points that the Member has made here today to our discussion at Cabinet. Thank you.