Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. I talked earlier about the consolidated clinic here in Yellowknife and, once again, I think it’s a great facility and there are great programs that are being offered out of there. But as with new programs, there are some growing pains. I know the Minister has probably heard a lot of these concerns that are brought up by the public. I know that I’ve taken a couple to the Minister and they have been addressed.

What I’m interested in now is in order to ensure that this facility continues to be the...

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future” and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Go ahead.

I would like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Prior to the break we agreed to review Tabled Document 75-16(5), which is the Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future.” First on my list is Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Is committee agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just two quick things in closing. I mentioned earlier that I had a constituent who mentioned some difficulties they had accessing the building, especially the interior doors. The individual was in a wheelchair and there was no electronic opener on the door, so it was very difficult. I believe that’s been rectified. If I can get the Minister to confirm that that has in fact been rectified.

The second part is that the Minister has mentioned that this facility is not just a Yellowknife facility, that it is a territorial facility. My question to the Minister is if they have...

So this is basically to return that power that once existed that got missed by way of some sort of oversight.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’d like to go through Bill 12 and, time permitting, Tabled Document 75-16(5).

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is one thing I haven’t touched on but it is related. Right now, that federal legislation, we have federal permits. We have federal forms that people have to fill out. We have territorial, we have city, we have everything. In looking at some of the forms, I often see what appears to be some level of duplication. In the review, if I can get the Minister to commit that they will look at where all the requirements for business are coming from and hopefully by working with our partners, the federal government communities and other organizations, we can identify some of...

Mr. Speaker, it is awfully nice when we are in agreement so easily. The Minister mentioned BizPaL. I think BizPaL is a great program, but I understand that the City of Yellowknife isn’t partnering with us on that. Right now, the City of Yellowknife has a lot of requirements for permits and whatnot. Has there been any work done with the City of Yellowknife to see if we can get them on side with us to help the businesses overall and reduce the amount of red tape? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.