Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA a question on O and M funding for communities. I met with Mayor Sean Whelly of Fort Simpson and Deputy Mayor Tom Wilson earlier this week. They have advised me that O and M funding for the 2010 fiscal year has been reduced. They showed me a chart that they are actually one of two communities that will be reduced. I’d like to ask the Minister why there is a reduction. What is the rationale for the reductions of O and M for the community of Fort Simpson?

Mr. Speaker...[English translation not provided.]

Following up on the MACA Minister, I, too, will talk about the Arctic Winter Games.

Watching the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Canadians had the pleasure of cheering their athletes on to glory. Next week many of our young NWT athletes will be participating in the 21st Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alberta. They will be competing with eight other teams, four Canadian and four northern international teams. Given the Canadian success at the Olympics, I think all athletes will be pumped, I predict lots of fun, lots of personal bests and lots...

What is the exact expected date of completion of the new floor, Mr. Speaker? Thank you very much.

I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention one of my most passionate items that I’ve raised in this House, which is the Nahanni Butte gymnasium. We had some deficiencies, we had a plan to address them, and I’d like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services at what stage is the repairs of the Nahanni Butte gymnasium to the deficiencies. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be pleased to take the Minister’s offer on reviewing those documents. If he could commit to get them to me as soon as possible.

The Minister references two communities. Actually, the second community that did receive a reduction in O and M is in my riding as well. That’s the community of Wrigley. Those are the only two out of 33. That leaves me to question why only those two communities. Why did everyone else get an increase in funding? Once again, I don’t understand the rationale. Other communities experience population declines as well.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Marilyn Hardisty, who has her roots in Jean Marie River in my constituency. Thank you very much. Welcome.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased that our Minister is willing to raise that the next time she meets with the federal Minister. Also, as they work towards it there must be some creative solutions, like providing incentives of getting a private dentist into the region. Often when that is the case, they are able to take up the workload of NIHB. I’m glad the Minister is willing to do that. Will she raise the issue the next time she meets with the federal Minister?

That’s exactly the issue that the constituents have shared with me, is that there are just lengthy delays in travel to and fro to get their needs met and often they have to wait several days. Especially when someone has a toothache, it’s not a very good situation. However, in terms of medical travel to get to Yellowknife or Hay River in the case of Fort Simpson, who covers that cost?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about the difficulty that people in every community in Nahendeh are having in getting dental care and treatment. Many people in our region are eligible for free dental care, but the irony is that there are no local dentists available to provide that care.

The present situation is that a dental clinic is held twice a year. As well, according to the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority phone directory, although a position is allocated, we do not have a dental therapist at the Bompas School.

Dentists are very important health providers for...