Kevin A. Menicoche

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, firstly I would like to welcome all the Members back to the Legislative Assembly for this spring session. Spring is here and the buzz is in the air in Nahendeh, and the buzz is not that spring came early, but it’s about the recent announcement the Premier made regarding $50 million for the extension of the highway along the Ingraham Trail. More and more I’m hearing it being referred to as Joe’s highway.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I’m not against infrastructure enhancement or expansion in other regions of the Northwest Territories. Regional and community...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just, once again, the situation particularly in Fort Simpson is that this shift in hours has really impacted the way that people do business. Previously you were able to go to Hay River and Fort Liard, in particular day trips and then back to the community of Fort Simpson. Just, again, I know that the ministry is working hard at getting the engineers and I would just like to urge, on behalf of the Nahendeh residents, to proceed in haste in getting these engineers. Just for question purposes I guess, Mr. Speaker, when is the Minister’s best estimate in...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Nahendeh Fiddlers. They will be out in the Great Hall. I have Mr. Lewis Beck, Gerda Hazenberg, Stella Pellisey, and all the youngsters from Wrigley and Fort Simpson. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just, once again, the situation particularly in Fort Simpson is that this shift in hours has really impacted the way that people do business. Previously you were able to go to Hay River and Fort Liard, in particular day trips and then back to the community of Fort Simpson. Just, again, I know that the ministry is working hard at getting the engineers and I would just like to urge, on behalf of the Nahendeh residents, to proceed in haste in getting these engineers. Just for question purposes I guess, Mr. Speaker, when is the Minister’s best estimate in...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Nahendeh Fiddlers. They will be out in the Great Hall. I have Mr. Lewis Beck, Gerda Hazenberg, Stella Pellisey, and all the youngsters from Wrigley and Fort Simpson. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Gaylene Oskenekisses from Wrigley, as well, and welcome all her classmates. Mahsi.

---Applause

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that the Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay, be appointed Acting Speaker for the remainder of the session.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to consider Committee Report 8-15(4).

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I mentioned that the time has come for a certain motion put forward by one of the Members and here’s another motion whose time has come.

It took 30 years for us to have a review of the NWT Housing Corporation. I often speak that the Housing Corporation Act of 1978 is very old. It comes from a distant colonial past that we are doing this for you, your own good. In fact, some of our policies, Mr. Speaker, still do that, like the EDAP and mortgage assistance policies. Well, we’ll lend you the money, but we will still build it for you and you will have to pay us...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the motion, I, too, see that as a gap. As a Member with many small communities and many elders in the communities, having their knowledge valued is something that is of great importance. As well, many of the elders I represent are not wealthy elders. They don’t have huge RRSP stockpiles on which to draw upon. Often the only income they have is what they get from the federal government and what they get from the territorial government. Often they are used at meetings for consultation. We bring them to meetings. We pay them a limited amount of money, but...