Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you very much. Certainly, there were some issues there, like elders continuing to be sent home with aspirins instead of getting proper checkups. There was another instance of an incomplete and misdiagnosed elder who broke her wrist and wasn’t diagnosed for months. So I know that the public administrator was just put in place, but what is the plan to improve the programs and services for Deh Cho health and social services at this point? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I was very pleased to hear the Minister of Transportation’s statement on Corridors for Canada III, a document for building prosperity. While I cannot share any details before it is tabled later today, I can say that potential investment in Highway No. 7 brings a tear to my eye. An improved transportation network is a foundation required to support economic development and the future prosperity in the NWT. Improvements to transportation also benefit our communities and people, by improving their level of service like more chipseal and by making our highways safer...

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the Minister’s commitment. If he can also work with the Department of Transportation, because there is road access issues and, as well, it will probably be the same type of gravel that they need for the community, as well, if he can do that. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. During my Member’s statement I raised many of the issues in Nahanni Butte that haven’t been completely restored or repaired in the community of Nahanni Butte as a result of the flood. I know that through MACA they have established a flood committee to address their concerns, but I would like to ask the Minister today what committee or process is in place to continue the community restoration one year after the flood.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Given the importance of the day here today, I still wish to fight on behalf of my communities and constituents.

I will be doing a statement on Nahanni Butte. It has been one year since the flood in Nahanni Butte but many services have not been restored, such as the store, public radio or the community dump. The main access road that was flooded last year, reconstructed this January, is no longer passable. Sides of the road are collapsing, and the sand fill that was used to repair the road is getting people’s vehicles stuck.

You may recall last October, when...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As my colleagues in this Assembly know, the job of an MLA is not an easy one. Our job is to represent the interests of our constituents and to build consensus, especially when you come from a constituency that is split on a matter of great importance such as this.

I just wanted to go over a few things as well. Devolution is about self-determination and self-government. I know that Members have said that devolution has been on the books for 20-some-odd years, but just a little bit of history. Since the NWT joined Confederation in 1870, I think that first meeting...

I was very happy to be in Nahanni Butte for my spring visit there, and the community has advised me that the damages are still there. There is some work that hasn’t been done. The dump road. They’re going to have to look at increasing dust control and the cost for trying to get the radio station up and running. Those are the issues.

I’d like to ask the MACA Minister if he or his officials can meet with the community, because they’re looking at their own resources to repair these when, in fact, it should be under the purview of MACA and the Disaster Fund.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In speaking with Mr. Dolynny this morning and yesterday, he did show me documentation that actually was a response to his request, in fact asking him for money to get that information that we as MLAs are privileged to get. I don’t know what’s going on with our Legislature, but we should not be paying to get information from the Cabinet side. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister truly understands the situation. I would like to know if this practice is currently being done right now. I have constituents that are screened out. They are hiding the test results from them, not showing them, not encouraging about how to better themselves for the next applications if they continue that.

I would like to know if this current practice that the Minister is talking about is being used by our front-line human resource and the departments that people are applying on. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I detailed in my Member’s statement about the difficulties of Aboriginal people gaining employment. Well, the ones that remain unemployed. Getting employment with our Government of the Northwest Territories, I’d like to ask the Minister of Human Resources questions in this regard.

Firstly, what is the department currently doing to meet the Government of the Northwest Territories’ commitment of a public service that is representative of 51 percent of our population that is Aboriginal?