David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think it appears in last year’s capital budget, at least not the last time I looked. So maybe the Minister could check that and I can check my budget document, as well. I think it was in there before, but it was taken out last year, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister stood up earlier today and said that he’s convinced that the move of the TTC would not impact the program or its clients. Can the Minister demonstrate to Members of this side of the House how that is going to happen and how it will play out that the clients in the programs are not impacted by the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That gives us little comfort, I guess. What is done is done. I am wondering, perhaps, as a government, we could look at writing a letter and maybe the Premier’s office can put together a letter and each and every one of us Members in this 15th Legislative Assembly could sign it, outlining our concern over how this appointment was made and the fact that we had to find out on the 5:30 news last evening that the appointment was made before even the Premier knew about it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier. It goes back to my Member's statement that I made earlier. I know that the Premier and his government have worked very hard on trying to establish a relationship with Ottawa in an effort to try to get a resource revenue and devolution deal, a deal that the last government and many governments before it have failed to do. I felt sorry for the Premier and his government yesterday with the action that Minister Scott took in appointing a non-northerner, non-nominee to the chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use my Member’s statement today to talk about the recent appointment of a new chairman to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. In January, the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board recommended three candidates for the job; all of them residents of the Northwest Territories. Territorial MLAs were not informed in advance of the appointment to the board, and many of us had even written recommendations for those who were passed over.

As Members of this Legislative Assembly, we take our jobs very seriously. This appointment was seen as being a...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to state that, of course, I am in favour of a fixed election date. When it is, is debatable. I can buy the argument that Mr. Roland makes, but I also listened to my colleagues here who have concerns about it being hunting season. Personally, I could campaign in cold weather, warm weather, it doesn’t matter. At this stage of the game, Madam Chair, I would agree to an election next week, it’s been that long of a haul here. So I will vote in favour of the motion. Let’s get it done.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to say that I’m going to support the motion that’s before us today. I appreciate the work that the Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden, has put into this piece of work. It’s a huge undertaking that this motion sets in motion. I know Mr. Braden has been a Member of this Legislative Assembly for quite a bit longer than I have and he’s had an opportunity to work with injured workers more than I have; but in my year-and-a-bit that I have been a Member of the Legislative Assembly, I have dealt with a couple of constituents that were injured workers. It’s not a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So after I think the Minister mentioned April 1st, is Sport North still going to control the lottery booths or is it going to be the new sport and recreation council? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, also the Minister responsible for lottery revenues in the territory. I know my colleague was talking about winning a billion dollars or if he had a billion dollars, but…The questions I had for the Minister I just wanted to understand a little bit about the lottery revenues here in the Northwest Territories. As I understand it, Sport North controls the lottery booths that are here in Yellowknife. I’ve heard from many people in Yellowknife that access to these lottery booths, and it’s a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can understand that the decision is a federal appointment, but in the spirit of good faith between the federal government and our government, I would expect that they would at least have the courtesy to phone our Premier and find out what the political agenda is here and work with that. I'm wondering if the Premier can let us know how the appointment was made. Was it Minister Scott's call directly, or was the Secretary of State for Northern Development involved, and that happens to be our MP, in this decision? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It states quite clearly, “The chairperson of a board shall be appointed by the federal Minister from persons nominated by a majority of the members.” It would appear obvious that Minister Scott didn’t get a chance to read this act. Where was our Member of Parliament in all of this? Does she work for us, the constituents who elected her, or does she work for Minister Scott in DIAND? Certainly, these are questions that all northerners have, and they should ask Minister Scott and Ms. Blondin-Andrew next week when they are here. Thank you.

---Applause