Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I wonder if I could have some detail about the grant to the NWT Literacy Council which happened two fiscal years ago and was then discontinued. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm wondering, I see here that there is a plan to improve communications. I'm wondering if all four of those positions that are being created in the Executive are to support this open government plan or whether they have other duties as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Finance would like us to buy into the need for a $150-million operating surplus to spend on infrastructure. Housing is not listed in that list in yesterday's budget but roads are. What I'm looking for is some justification, some quantification of the benefits of this road, and I'm wondering at what point in this process that that will be produced. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, my question is whether there is a cost-benefit analysis available on the proposed road to Whati and, if so, if it could be tabled here?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently, the GNWT's Department of Transportation applied for permits to build an allseason road to Whati. The proposed 94-kilometre road will connect the community of 500 people with Highway No. 3 and the NWT road system and it will stop within 50 kilometres of a polymetallic deposit owned by Fortune Minerals that may one day become a mine. Still, Fortune Minerals needs to raise $589 million to make that dream come true, and its stock is trading for pennies a share.

The hitch is that the GNWT doesn't have the money to spend on the road to Whati or any other...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wonder if I could get some information about why we're leasing office space in Ottawa. Thank you.

This is more a comment. It's my understanding from the president of Indspire that $125,000 worth of scholarships were given out in the NWT in the last year to students. It seems like a pretty good investment to provide that kind of support for the $125,000 in return, although I understand the Minister's rationale for not going with the ongoing support of the event itself. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for his answer. The fact remains that this forecast has gaps when it comes to renewable industry research or employment opportunities. I am wondering if there is a plan to do the same kind of research on them as has been done with the non-renewable resource sector. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. The labour market forecast says that from 2015 to 2030 the NWT will need to recruit 777 elementary and kindergarten school teachers, as well as 577 secondary school teachers, 448 early childhood educators and assistants, and 382 college and vocational instructors. It is just staggering numbers. How is that going to happen?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last month I had the pleasure of attending the Skills Canada NWT Regional Competition. As I walked through the venues I saw dozens of young people perfecting their skills in an impressive variety of fields from hairdressing to electrical wiring, from making a film to making a meal. I found all this activity inspiring. While 19 per cent of the labour force includes youth who are not in school but who want to work, there are many others who are working hard now to ensure their future employability and income. The following day the GNWT released its Labour Market...