Kevin A. Menicoche

That’s fine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thought you said clause 7.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on June 25, 2004, to review Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2004. The act makes minor amendments to a number of statutes. The committee asked for an explanation of clause 7, which will repeal the Economic Development Agreements Act. The Minister and his staff advised that there are currently no agreements under this act, and that any future agreements with the Government of Canada would probably not require legislation.

Members also asked for an explanation of clause 13, which will repeal the...

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I would like to take the Minister up on that invitation as I am unaware of that guideline. Speaking of guidelines, does the Minister have any plans to review the current guidelines with respect to this issue?

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I do believe that I stand firm that it certainly is one of the communities or probably the only community that still doesn’t have this facility. I would like to ask the Minister, will he provide the same recreational opportunities to the students of Nahanni Butte that others have in the Northwest Territories, and will the Minister commit to undertake a feasibility or engineering study to cost out this project in this fiscal year?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister promise to the youth in Nahanni Butte that they will be provided with the same recreational opportunities that all other youth of the Northwest Territories enjoy before all the students currently attending school in the Nahanni Butte have graduated? Mr. Speaker, we have a whole generation that will graduate before even getting a gymnasium. They can’t even play volleyball and indoor soccer. I would like the Minister to look at getting us a gymnasium. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today on the issue of recreation and recreational facilities, specifically in the community of Nahanni Butte. It is a well-known fact that a good, comprehensive education requires not only academic or vocational instruction, but recreational opportunities as well. More than that, the provision of recreational opportunities is a necessary part of helping people make healthy lifestyle choices. I am pleased to see that the government recognizes this fact. In the 2004 strategic plan, which the Minister of Education earlier referred to...

I move we report progress.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I was just looking for some assurance of what systems are in place so the public will have confidence in our system that we are not providing grants and contributions to organizations that haven’t had proper accounting for prior years’ contributions. It happened, of course, in this case. I’m just wondering what mechanisms are in place and, indeed, if there was a deficiency, will they be addressing it with some new type of guidelines? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight reviewed Bill 9, Write-off of Assets and Debts Act, 2004-2005, at its meetings of August 24, 2004, and October 12, 2004. This bill will write off $576,096.10 in assets and debts owed the Government of the Northwest Territories, its agencies and boards.

The committee would like to thank the Minister and his officials for presenting this bill. The bill authorizes the write-off of debts in accordance with sections 24 and 82 of the Financial Administration Act which requires legislative approval to write off debts of...