Joe Handley

Mr. Speaker, I can say that I was very surprised, taken aback; in fact angry, yesterday, when I found out, when it was on the 5:30 news, that CBC had gotten this information before we did, before I did and before anybody in our government did. Mr. Speaker, I don’t know for sure who was involved in the announcement, if it was an announcement made. CBC certainly had it. But I did, as well as calling Minister Scott, call our MP and Minister for Northern Development, Ethel Blondin-Andrew. She called me back this morning and certainly apologized for not letting us know. She explained that she...

Mr. Speaker, I’m hearing through the grapevine that the appointment is imminent. In fact, I’d heard that the security checks were already underway and so on. But I’ve had nothing from the Minister of DIAND’s office formally to tell me that this is going to be happening soon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The purpose of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board and the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board is to have a vehicle for northerners to have more input into decisions that are going to affect their lives and land. Both of these boards are under federal legislation. The appointment of the chair is a decision that rests with the Minister of DIAND. The appointment of the chair is -- and I don’t believe it’s laid out in the act -- but the convention is that he will appoint from a list that is provided by the committee of each of the boards themselves. So...

Mr. Speaker, I will ask my staff to try to find out today if they can get any information on it at all. They have been trying to follow this one almost daily, but we will make that effort again. If I can’t, then I assure the Member and this House that I will speak to the Minister on this when he’s here next week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I was last in Ottawa I raised this issue with our MP and the Minister responsible for Northern Development and also with Minister Scott. Mr. Roland, the Finance Minister, and I raised this issue with him. He knows our views on it and, Mr. Speaker, I’ve written to him as well on it and intend to follow up with him next week when he is here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize a constituent, Carol Van Tighem, a tireless volunteer and the fire and vigour behind this year’s Caribou Carnival. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With me are Bob McLeod, deputy minister for the Executive, on my left; and Carl Bird, director of corporate services for the Executive. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our elders are very important to us and to aboriginal cultures in particular. There is need, as we develop the strategy, to have some consultation as we talk about safe, healthy communities to ensure that there is a way for elders, whether it’s through band councils or through municipal councils or through their MLAs, to have some input into government and the things that we do as the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am pleased to present the 2005-2006 Main Estimates for the Department of Executive.

For 2005-06, the Department of Executive is requesting a budget of $8.946 million, which represents a .83 percent, or $76,000, increase from the restated 2004-2005 Main Estimates.

The Department of Executive has identified economizing measures in the amount of $314,000 from the restated 2004-2005 Main Estimates.

$42,000 for the Beaufort-Delta office. When the department was first asked to identify areas of reduction, the regional office in Inuvik was explored as potentially rendering savings. At that time...

Mr. Chairman, that would be federal money. Thank you.