Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a follow-up to my Member's Statement. I have questions for the Minister responsible for Housing. Mr. Speaker, I believe some constituents may be listening in right now. Can the Minister explain the working relationship between the Housing Corporation and the local housing organizations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think there is a little communication gap between what the Minister is saying and the LHOs, because, according to the LHOs that I have been speaking to, they are sort of directed through their budgeting that they cannot take leave with pay. I would just like to ensure that, if the Minister is correct, that she relays that information to myself so that I could pass than on to my LHOs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

At the moment, LHOs have to take leave without pay during the Christmas holidays. Does the Minister feel that this is fair?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, according to the Housing Corporation's annual report, local housing organization, or LHOs, operate as agents of the corporation in most NWT communities. Under agreement with the corporation and overseen by an advisory board, each LHO provides a wide range of local property management services. Local is the key word here. As the Minister pointed out in a recent statement, when NWT residents have access to an LHO, they have access to timely, responsive, and relevant services right in their home community. They are able to take ownership in the local delivery...

Mr. Speaker, WHEREAS section 91 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act provides that the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly shall appoint a conflict of interest Commissioner to exercise the powers and perform the duties set out in the act;

WHEREAS the appointment of the current conflict of interest Commissioner, Mr. David Jones, expires November 30, 2017;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly considers the appointment of a conflict of interest Commissioner essential to exercise the powers and perform the duties under the act;

AND WHEREAS Legislative...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the end of this sitting, our last of the 2017, I am looking to the winter ahead of us. For residents of the Mackenzie Delta, that means a winter without ferry services. I have spoken to the Minister about this before. We have been told that Inuvik won't run short of fuel, that frequent closures on the Dempster made ferry operations too pricey, and that lighter equipment will help the Department of Infrastructure accelerate ice road construction, but the reality of our concerns about the cost of living, travel between communities, heavy...

I give notice that on Friday, October 20, 2017, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that this Legislative Assembly call upon the Government of Canada to make representations to the United States federal government opposing the removal of protection for the Porcupine caribou herd by allowing any industrial activities within the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge; and further that this Assembly call upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to actively support and assist Gwich'in governments and related...

It would be nice to have some answers here, but I will try again: how will the Department of Infrastructure monitor the impacts of its decision to end the shoulder season ferry services on the communities that have historically relied on those ferries?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, the Minister previously mentioned that new, lighter equipment was on its way to the communities to support accelerated ice road construction. Can the Minister provide a status update, including where the equipment is going? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a note to this motion here; unfortunately, I will not be able to support this motion. I know there has been some talk here of consensus government, and you know, this being my second term, I have seen how well consensus government can work in the 17th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, mainly because we made use of fireside chats with the Premier whenever we had issues with any Minister, we sat them down and we discussed those issues. If they weren't willing to make changes, we Regular Members had the ability to change out that Minister. We were willing to, but because...