Kevin A. Menicoche

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of Fort Simpson Airport maintenance services. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 309 signatures of Nahendeh residents. The petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly represent Nahendeh residents by opposing plans to privatize Fort Simpson Airport maintenance services.

I’m very glad to hear that the situation will be adequately assessed and a determination to review the regulations. I’m looking for that as well. Small and remote communities, even more so, need adequate protection measures, and I’d like to see our current existing legislation certainly accommodate that, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, it’s been my experience that double-walled tanks…. There are certainly reasons for having double-walled tanks — they’re meant for temporary installations. Maybe the Minister can clarify this for me: I think that double-walled tanks, if they’re intended to be permanent, that there indeed be a berm attached. As well, with any tanks there, we’ve got lots of unstable ground, and all the tanks should have at least the minimal flexible coupling. Can the Minister advise me of the current regulations? Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Ms. Candy Brown in the gallery today. Welcome.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide a report from the Standing Committee on Government Operations on the 2006–2007 Annual Report from the Official Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations met on April 9, 2008, to review the 2006–2007 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner. The committee would like to thank Ms. Shannon Gullberg for appearing before us.

The committee is glad to see that the commission’s web site is now operational and information about the complaints process is available in all official languages. The committee...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Committee Report 2-16(2) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration.

Will the process include any public consultations? Mahsi.

Quite often it’s simple things that constituents are appealing to the Housing Corporation and the managers, but once that manager makes a decision, he’s not going to change his mind. So they’re coming to me, as their MLA, to say, “There’s a glitch here in the system. I’ve been asking about this renovation,” or “It needs repairs.” Often it’s simple things, and having an outlet for constituents to address those concerns is very important.

I’d just like to ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, what type of appeal system does he foresee being implemented?

I’d like to recognize Candy Brown from Fort Simpson.

I’d like to thank Members of committee for reading the report.

In conclusion, the Standing Committee on Government Operations encourages the commissioner to make the promotion of her role and office her priority and to exercise her power to make full use of her mandate in accordance with the Official Languages Act to ensure the GNWT complies with the spirit and intent of the act.

Committee recommendation: The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends the GNWT table a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.

That concludes the report of the Standing Committee on...