Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be speaking on transportation as well here today. I would like to talk about the beauty of the Deh Cho and the great opportunity that we have with the Deh Cho Tribal Connection. I am talking about the Deh Cho trail and portions of Highways No. 1 and 7 that make a perfectly round trip on the lower NWT for tourists coming from Alberta passing through Hay River, through several smaller Deh Cho communities providing a connection to Fort Simpson before winding down beside the Liard River and Fort Liard to British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, this portion of our public...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to point out to the Minister that if he moves towards a territorial strategy of chipsealing all our roads, I don’t think he’ll have very much objection if he moves this in the House and I’d like him to consider that and what stages can he do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, we could probably debate if we could have 2,000 kilometres of bad road or 600 kilometres of good road where we allocate our expenses. But we are freeing up some money by not spending money on Highway No. 4 and I’d like to ask the Minister, what is our strategy, and if chipsealing all our territorial highways can and will be part of it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was just trying to get at that as there is definitely a need. They have not only relocated to Yellowknife but to Hay River as well. I would just like to get assurance once again that it’s not being moved off the capital plan. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. During the last Assembly, I did lots of work on behalf of constituents in Fort Simpson getting a dialysis machine and dialysis located to Fort Simpson. I think it was in the plan for 2008. I would just like to ask where is it in the capital plan at this date.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps the next question, I know I thought I saw it in the newspaper, but how many incidents in our northern territory of the use of taser was recorded? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that the government is open to discussion. What I’m asking for is to send someone to help begin those discussions and if the Minister can do that. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if it was because it was an election year or anything like that, but the non-government organizations have been left out in the cold and they’re going to be faced with being left out in the cold there, Mr. Speaker, if the government doesn’t jump in and assist them with some transition planning. I would like a commitment from the Minister if they will re-engage the community and the non-government organizations in these discussions. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker…(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, for decades the Deh Cho Hall has been a central gathering place for the community of Fort Simpson. Not only has it housed government offices, but it is home to a library, a family resource centre, and many other non-governmental organizations serving the whole community.

Over the last few years, the government has wavered back and forth on whether to renovate and upgrade the aging building or to find new spaces for its offices. This see-sawing back and forth has left the NGOs who share the Deh Cho Hall in a state of uncertainty and unable to make...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to know as well, does the Minister know how many clients are currently from the Nahendeh riding located in Yellowknife or from the surrounding communities of Fort Simpson? Thank you.