Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to the national initiative of childcare and early learning. That’s exactly what the intent is, Mr. Speaker. It’s a national program. I assume it will include the small communities that exist in my riding, Mr. Speaker. Our small communities have single, working parents and double-income families who are anxious to see how this national program will be rolled out. Will the Minister, Mr. Speaker, tell this House the plans to roll out this program into the communities?...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate the Department of Transportation on their efforts to build an airport in Trout Lake. During the week of February 7th to 11th, the department’s senior officials visited the community to discuss the possibility of this great opportunity. It is well known that the current location of the airstrip does not align with the prevailing winds. As it stands, many trips are cancelled because pilots are unable to manoeuvre with the crosswinds. It is dangerous for everybody, Mr. Speaker, when pilots -- on the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee wishes to consider Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006, Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the Minister will be advocating for the needs in the smaller communities. I am sure that there is going to be some mention of it in the federal budget. Has the Minister given some thought to what would be a fair distribution of the resources when he brings it home to the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s apparent that the Minister is well aware of our needs throughout the North, including the small communities. Does the Minister have a focus group to help him roll out the programs or design the programs for the smaller communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I realize this is the preliminary consultation period involving several components and stakeholders, and that other consultations, meetings will be scheduled in the community this spring.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Minister will keep me updated and will inform me of any potential problems through the developmental stage of this project. I support the much-needed airstrip in Trout Lake and would like to see it go through successfully. This is important to the community of Trout Lake and a long time coming.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the Minister and his officials on listening...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I believe that the seniors were looking for something further. They’re owning their own houses and in the diesel communities, Mr. Chairman, they are paying quite a bit. I don’t know if it’s leaks in their system, but I’m telling the Minister they’re only taking home $750 a month and their power bill is $250. That’s far beyond what they can afford. They’re asking if there’s a way for us to subsidize the power elders are receiving, beyond the way it exists now. Is there some other supplementary way of doing it much like we’re contributing towards our costs of…I...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. This has been one of the topics that I’m passionate about, is our Territorial Power Subsidy Program and where we’re going with the territorial power subsidy. I’m just wondering, has the Minister looked at the terms of reference of how they wish to look at this subject. I’m of the mind that everyone has to pay the same, just like every other jurisdiction in Canada. I might be going a bit outside the topic here, but I wonder if there’s leeway at all in the deliberation of the territorial power support and, indeed, of the Power Corporation of looking at their...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That does shed some light for me and I would like to thank the Minister for that answer. There is another thing that concerns me. As we reviewed the departments in the draft main estimates, there are still some departments that do business a little bit differently. That kind of concerns me in terms of the budgeting process. The Housing Corporation is one and MACA is another. That is one of the issues that I have been bringing up. I believe I asked the Minister at one point if we follow the generally accepted accounting principles when doing our budgets. The...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight is pleased to provide its comments on the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

During the review of the 2005-2006 Draft Main Estimates for FMBS, the Minister provided an update on the status of the consolidation of the GNWT’s human resource services, including the initial transfer of six human resource positions from the Executive and the creation of a new assistant deputy minister position.

The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight is in support of ongoing work to consolidate human resource...