Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a quick question here under the education authority contributions. It’s been brought up a number of times in the past, the home boarding issue in Tsiigehtchic. We’re constantly finding ways for parents to find people in Inuvik that their children could stay with when they reach Grade 10 level for three years. What is the department doing to make sure that we have good homes for these students to stay in while they’re going to school in Inuvik?

I mentioned in my Member’s statement that we only have one in each regional centre and that’s the five he referred to, but it’s time that we start working with the communities to ensure that we have this type of facility in our smaller communities. So if there’s no space available, is the Minister willing to work with the Minister of Housing to identify a unit if needed in Tsiigehtchic? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services following up on my Member’s statement. I’d like to ask the Minister, what is the department doing to meet the needs of women’s shelters in small communities like Tsiigehtchic? Thank you.

So, if you will get that information for me, is that what he’s saying?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Built in 1969, Moose Kerr School was named after Arnold J. Kerr, a long-standing principal who strove to incorporate the local culture into the daily learning environment.

The school underwent renovations in 1997 with the expansion of the senior high wing and the addition of a beautiful library that is reflective of the cultures. The library was later recognized as a public school library to service both students and community.

Moose Kerr School is the oldest school in the Northwest Territories as of today. Even though one is older, but it did go through major...

That’s just what I wanted to hear. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Moose Kerr School was constructed in 1969, exactly the same time as Samuel Hearne High School was built in Inuvik. Samuel Hearne was demolished and replaced a couple years ago. My constituents would like to know why is Moose Kerr School still standing. At 46 years old it’s overdue for replacement. The Minister of Education stated in the House that Moose Kerr School is slated for replacement or renovation in 2019. That’s four years from now.

I’m concerned about potential safety hazards at the school, specifically whether asbestos poses a risk to children’s health...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a few questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Growing up, my grandparents used to tell me stories of when people were limited to the amount of beaver they could harvest in a year, and it was just a handful. The game wardens, as they called them at the time, would go around and keep an eye out on people’s axes as they used them to chop open beaver houses. But since then we’ve had an explosion in the population of the species of beaver, also foxes and mink, but the fur advance doesn’t match that. It’s a minimum of a $25 advance for these...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is to do with the management of wildlife. Does the Minister have funds that they could contribute to encouraging our people to harvest more of these species? Thank you.

As the Minister knows, we have the best fur in the world. There is a huge demand, you see it all the time, for sheared beaver, beavertail wallets. It’s just like snakeskin. I had one a few years back; it was pretty nice.

But as the Minister is just taking this department back on, I think it’s time that we make this review. Even changing it to $45 or $50 for an advance, that would help out the harvesters a great deal. Is the Minister willing to do this?