Kevin A. Menicoche

I’d like to thank the Minister for that explanation. To a normal person, I guess it wouldn’t make sense.

I’d just like to pursue another angle. Government is providing these services in the communities and we’re charging a commission fee.

Can our government provide this service for free, instead of charging it back to the smaller communities? They’re small populations. They’re the ones that get the brunt of it. I think my colleague from Mackenzie Delta has the highest fuel prices as a result of the petroleum products division, at $2.01.

Can they look at the government providing the service...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I did a Member’s statement on the increase of fuel prices in the small, remote communities that is delivered by the petroleum products division, so I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services questions on the increase of fuel prices.

I’d like to ask the Minister, how are the fuel prices determined in all our small and remote communities? Thank you.

Certainly, there will be a role for early childhood workers. I’d like to ask the Minister what the plan is to assist education with early childhood workers as we move forward with junior kindergarten.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to ask questions and let the Minister of Education and my constituents know that junior kindergarten, despite questions and concerns from Yellowknife Members, is a good thing for our small communities.

So, what I’d like to ask the Minister firstly, which communities currently do not have any licenced child care programming? Thank you.

The report also talks about morbidity rates, particularly amongst the Dene, Inuit and Metis people is 1.5 times higher, so what’s happening is that more and more Aboriginal people are dying of cancer and some of it is because we are in the smaller communities.

I’d like to ask the Minister, has he reviewed the report, looked at the morbidity rates, most particularly amongst the Aboriginal people, and what will the department do about that?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in the day I did my Member’s statement on cancer and cancer screening in the smaller communities. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, how does the Minister explain the uneven levels of cancer screening in communities of different sizes and what will be done about it? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. There’s more and more concern about cancer in the communities of Nahendeh. People believe that the rate of cancer is increasing. That alone should tell us that more support is needed in our small communities. More information is needed along with better support for people who do have cancer. Some sharing circles have been held and that is a good thing. More sharing circles for families should take place so that there is consistency in this form of support.

I have seen the numbers in the recent report on cancer in the Northwest Territories and it doesn’t look...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In our small communities there’s a potential of increasing employment with early childhood workers and the junior kindergarten. Can the Minister confirm that?

Thank you very much. So, the plan to roll out junior kindergarten, is that coming this fall?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, as well, I’m pleased that our cancer rates aren’t increasing, and I’m also pleased that we’ve undertaken a program called the cancer sharing circles. The report only spoke about three communities. I am supportive of it.

What is the ministry going to do about increasing the number of cancer sharing circles and the frequency of it in all our communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.