Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, committee. Next, we have the Department of Justice, operations expenditures not previously authorized under community, justice and policing, $100,000. Does committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Stewart.

Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. O'Reilly.

Agreed. Thank you. Next, we have income security not previously authorized, $2,807,000. Does committee agree?

I have had constituents waiting up to two to three weeks, you know. They have been patient, but especially at times during Christmas, we have had challenges finding people to actually provide cord wood because we had hardly any snow before Christmas and it's very challenging getting out there. So, those people who did come forward, many of them had to wait until after Christmas to actually get paid, which is very unfortunate because of, especially, the times back home where there is hardly any work. So, I know in the past, when I was the chief of Tsiigehtchic, we had an agreement with ECE to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It is to do with the elders' home heating subsidy, which is a great program. Elders have the options to either receive home heating fuel or cord wood or a combination of both, whichever the elders prefer. We have been having challenges with payments in Fort McPherson for the people who are providing cord wood for the elders. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: will the Minister enter into an agreement with either the band, the designated Gwich’in organization, or, if it's in...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's really that we have a comprehensive response to this report. Not only that, but adoption of these motions, you know, as my colleagues mention, it is people who take that step to go to treatment or take a life-changing step in their life. We need to ensure that they're successful, and the only way to ensure that is to adopt these motions and have them in place, because those are the challenges we are facing, whether it's shortage of housing. That's something that's come to myself here in the last couple of weeks with constituency issues, but I really hope...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this tour really opened my eyes as a Regular Member who represents small communities. I know the last two years I have been supportive of having a treatment facility in the Northwest Territories, but after this tour, I do support sending our people south because of the specialists who are available on-hand and, you know, especially the treatment that is needed. In this day and age we are having more people that are being hooked on powerful drugs like crack cocaine. We just don't have the capacity here in the Northwest Territories to deal with that. You know, it...

I'm sure there are no problems finding people to sit on the board. I think what we need to do is make the community aware. You know, when a department is coming into the community, it's always important that it's outside in the community, whether it's on the CBC, the afternoon radio show that everyone listens to. We have to make sure that there are people out there who are aware of this meeting that's taking place. Will the Minister ensure that there is proper community communication and also put it on CBC Radio?