Floyd Roland

In the area of the McCrank report, our response, we’ve had a number of Ministers follow up, not only myself. We’ve had the Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, we’ve had the Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment make their approaches. Recent meetings were held, as well, in Ottawa. This was one of the items discussed. So we continue to raise this issue, continue to pursue the initiatives we think can be done, for example, like board appointments that can be done rather straightforward rather than waiting for a full response on that report. So we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have responded to the federal government through the Minister of ENR and we responded to Minister Strahl on this initiative as that’s where the McCrank report issue was generated. We’re waiting for their official response as to what they would incorporate. We’ve put in a number of recommendations where we feel things could move forward fairly quickly and easily without major changes to existing structures in a sense of land claims and so on. So we’re waiting for them to respond back to those issues. Thank you.

Indeed the training aspect is an important one and working through the Women’s Advisory office, there’s been a training session provided for or planned for and designed on the development of tools and approaches and has been put in place. It’s open to all public servants. It’s being piloted through the process and has been placed on the GNWT training calendar. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of the Executive along with the Women’s Advisory Office has been working on this initiative for some time, as the Member has highlighted. We’re hoping to have a position paper on gender-based equity being finalized by the end of this calendar year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have to touch base with the appropriate Ministers and get that information or have those Ministers reply back to the Member in this area. Thank you.

Once again, the Member is asking my opinion, my view on something. Again, we have a contracting process in place. If Members want to see something like a registry occur in the Northwest Territories, we’d have to have that discussion as a full body and decide where we would go with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has asked a number of questions in that one item. There was a fair bit of information there and I’ll have to get back to the Member once I have a chance to review the Hansard as to all the details he’s requested in that question. Thank you.

Again, without having the background information what other agencies and what some of our departments are involved in, supports in this area, it’s hard for me to commit to establishing a position. We would have to go through our business plan process. We would have to see what this position would be doing and advocating for and what would be required. Whereas, right now, we do have some supports through our departments, Education, Culture and Employment being one of those. Again, I would have to get that information and provide that to the Member and decide where we would go with something...

There are a number of organizations involved in the residential school area between the federal government, our government and outside organizations and agencies. Before I could respond to that, I would have to see what’s happening out there. Again, I would go through the appropriate Ministers to get the information and respond at that point.

As a government, we’re prepared to work with Members of the Legislative Assembly. I know there’s a lot of interest in different areas by all Members, whether it is a contracting issue or an income security question and so on and so forth for ourselves. If Members of this Assembly want to see some changes, we’re prepared to work with Members.

The Member has raised this issue on a number of occasions during this sitting. We’ve provided him information. I’ve said that if Members want to see a change to this, we would work with members of the committee. So if standing committee wants to write a...