Michael McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a list here of people that are taking the governance course through MACA. I recognize a number of them from various communities across the North. There is a large delegation from Deline: Albertine Ayha, Greg Bahya, Jane Modeste-Goulet, Michael Neyelle, Christine Takazo, Charlotte Tetso, and Raymond Tutcho. From Wrigley, Gaylene Oskenekisses.

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Also from Fort McPherson, Leslie Blake.

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From Fort Resolution, Rabbit, Wilfred Simon.

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And someone that is close to Mr. Yakeleya’s heart, originally from Fort Providence...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Spring has always been an important time in the North with our long and dark winters. Northerners, more than most people, are ready to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Historically, springtime festivities in the North have been an important social occasion when families, friends and neighbours join together, renew their ties and celebrate the return of the warm spring sun and the weather. That tradition continues today with spring carnivals being held in communities across the Northwest Territories. An important part of that tradition is the Kamba Carnival hosted by...

Mr. Minister, I wish to table the following documents entitled Corridors for Canada II: Building on our Success, and Connecting Canada: Coast to Coast to Coast. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that. When I speak of on-the-ground transportation I’m usually referring to all of them because they all, as far as I’m concerned, are linked. So there’s 147 new positions going into the government and there’s 98 of them in Yellowknife alone. Would we not be able to allocate two of those 98 positions whose only function will be to pick up medical patients? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we are following the regulatory requirements under the Airports Act, the federal airports legislation. There is no requirement for this government to put in backup generators into the communities. We really don’t have the resources to put in backup generators in the communities, in the airports, and we don’t really have the resources to provide the maintenance and repairs this would all entail. So we don’t have the investment that’s required to do so. We have a plan that’s acceptable to the federal government and that’s the means that we are moving forward on this and providing...

Mr. Speaker, federal legislation doesn’t require us to have backup generators in each community. Navigation Canada moved away from providing backup generators some time ago. The acceptable process is to use flare pots, and the flare pots are available in each of the communities that the Member has referenced and that is the acceptable process. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, yes, we are looking at ways we can do things better and more efficient. We’re looking at trying to incorporate some hybrid vehicles. We do have plug-ins in the communities that allow us to use them. We’re looking at smart programs, smart driving programs for our employees that will require them to shut off their vehicles rather than leaving them running. We’re looking at putting remote heaters in some of our larger equipment so they don’t have to idle for long periods of time. So there’s a number of things we’re doing. We’re also trying to incorporate alternate energy systems for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the newspaper article referenced some initiatives that were taken by our Department of Transportation to look at reducing energy use. As part of the energy conservation action plan that was tabled in this House by our Premier, our intent with that initiative was to look at the concept of finding a way of rewarding people who used energy-efficient vehicles. It was not intended to look at increasing the cost of registration for vehicles that are of high consumption, but rather to look at what can be done to encourage use of vehicles that use less energy or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am honoured today to recognize my wife, Judy, up in the gallery…

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…and my sister-in-law, Debbie. Welcome.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have titled my Member’s statement today, What do I Tell Them? Sometimes in our duties as MLAs we receive many questions from constituents on the way our government does business. What do I tell them, Mr. Speaker, when the decisions in attitude puzzles even me? What do I tell family when they want to know why their mother and grandmother didn’t return home? Do I tell them she was improperly transported when she came to Yellowknife for a medical appointment? What are we supposed to tell frontline workers and people needing treatment that a consultant...