David Ramsay

Thank you. The current program, the Take a Kid Trapping Program, does not have the capacity or the financial resources to allow for it to take kids that are outside of the school system. I think the Member is talking about young adults or youth between 17 and 22 or 23. That’s something that perhaps as we move forward it’s something that I could talk to the officials at the Department of Justice, also the officials at Health and Social Services and the Ministers about perhaps getting some programming dollars for that segment of the population. It’s important that they are given the ability to...

Mr. Speaker, tourism is a vital industry here in the Northwest Territories. Of all sectors, tourism presents the greatest likelihood of creating economic opportunities in each region, especially in the smaller communities. This is especially true of our Aboriginal tourism sector. Through the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, the Government of the Northwest

Territories has been working with the Aboriginal Tourism Champions Advisory Council to advance and develop Aboriginal tourism in the NWT.

This week at the NWT Tourism Conference and Annual General Meeting, the council will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following, entitled Aboriginal Tourism: Recommendation for a Strategic Action Plan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled 2012-2013 Grants and Contributions Results Report, and Government of the Northwest Territories Contracts Over $5,000 Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2013. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, November 7, 2013, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that pursuant to Section 15 of the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, Snookie Henrietta Catholique of Yellowknife be appointed as Languages Commissioner;

And further, that the appointment be effective December 1, 2013.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe just a sentence at the end saying we would refer whether or not the 18th Legislative Assembly could propose changes or this Assembly could propose changes to the EBC Act to have the next government, which would be the 18th Legislative Assembly strike an Electoral Boundaries Commission as opposed to the 19th Legislative Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I just wanted to mention one item and that is that some Members believe that the commission did not take into consideration language, culture, history, land claim and self-government agreements. Under all scenarios, the commission did just that. Again, for the public’s perspective, I just want the public to know that that was taken into consideration. Some Members believe it wasn’t. It was, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to provide some comments in relation to the Electoral Boundaries Commission. I just wanted to start off by saying, first and foremost, I don’t think we need any more politicians to represent the people in the Northwest Territories. I think 19 is very good. I’ve been here for almost a decade and the scenario that we have today is a workable one, it’s a manageable one.

Some Members are talking about the cost and that certainly is a factor in all of this, but I want to make one other thing clear. That is that I wouldn’t...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Committee Motion 3-17(5) be amended by adding the following after the words “to make the final recommendations of electoral boundaries commissions binding”:

“; and to require the establishment of an Electoral Boundaries Commission during the 18th Legislative Assembly.”

Thank you, Madam Chair. I certainly will be supporting the motion that is before us here today. I agree with Minister Abernethy on this and others that have spoken about taking the politics out of this. I think we really need to do that and find a way and process that will enable that to happen. This motion certainly does that.

We had a very close vote today on the findings of the Electoral Boundaries Commission. I think if I could, I’d like to make an amendment to the motion. It’s just something that I think has to happen. I think eight years is too long for the House to wait for another...