David Ramsay

Thank you. I’m wondering if the Minister has any indication on when the federal Cabinet may be making a decision on the fiscal arrangements with the Mackenzie Gas Project and between now and then what effort is our government going to do to get to Ottawa to reinforce the fact that we cannot go on without this project. I mean, it’s the future of our Territory economically and socially, opportunities for our people. There’s so much here at stake, Mr. Speaker, and what are we going to do between now and then to get that message out there? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. It gets back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about the Mackenzie Gas Project.

I have been a Member now for over six years. I know the government has put a tremendous amount of resources into this project from a staff perspective and also monetarily. I think the government is on the right track. The Minister is on the right track. I know he is doing some good things. I agree with him. I don’t think we can allow anyone to underestimate the importance that this project has to our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to speak today about the Mackenzie Gas Project.

Last month I had the opportunity to accompany Minister Bob McLeod to Calgary, where we met with proponents of the project and industry representatives. Everyone we met with was still very positive about the future of this project, and I believe now that the Joint Review Panel report has been released the time has arrived for our government to ramp up its efforts to demonstrate the tremendous benefits of this project to this Territory and to everyone in this country.

Minister Bob McLeod has done a great job at...

I appreciate the response from the Minister, but does the government not have an obligation to all residents across the Northwest Territories to come up with an implementation plan on a 911 service that is workable across the entire Territory? If it has to be started by being phased in in some of the larger communities, so be it. I would like to ask the Minister, why is the government not working towards a phased-in approach of a 911 service here in the Northwest Territories for communities that are ready, willing and able to participate with the government to let that happen? Thank you.

This is a very passionate issue here and I want to know why aren’t the Yellowknife Members on Cabinet supporting a phased-in approach to 911, which would make their constituents safer?

Mr. Speaker, six out of the seven Cabinet Ministers represent constituents that would be included in the beginning phases of a 911 service. Why, then, if you have six out of seven Cabinet Ministers who, one would think, support 911 service in their communities, is this hitting a brick wall, Mr. Speaker? I will have questions for the Minister of MACA at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, so I guess what I am hearing the Minister say is the size of community does matter, the ability to pay does matter. I don’t agree with that premise. I guess the next question I have to ask the Minister is: can the Minister tell me which communities in the Northwest Territories today have the ability to pay for a 911 service themselves? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. R.C. McLeod. I guess I should apologize to Mr. Michael McLeod. I know the Hay River Reserve is in his riding, which would also benefit from the implementation of a 911 service here in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. So if you look at the entire Cabinet, every one of them touches a community that would benefit greatly from the implementation of a 911 service here in the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister of MACA if he could provide me with an explanation on why...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today to voice my displeasure in this government’s inaction as it pertains to implementing a 911 system here in the Northwest Territories.

This is not the first time I have spoken about 911 in this Assembly and today I find myself leading the weigh-in again, because of the absolute absurdity of the argument not to take action by this government.

During debate on October 15th, Minister Robert C. McLeod said: “we have to also ensure that this service or any basic service is available to a lot of remote communities we have out there.” What the government is...

Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister would be -- and it sounds like the government has already made a decision on this -- are they not going to help communities across the Northwest Territories implement the 911 service in the seven communities that are identified in the report? The government is washing its hands of that and letting the communities do it themselves. Is that what I’m hearing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sorry, I failed to request a recorded vote. I’d like to request a recorded vote on the motion. Thank you.