Michael Miltenberger

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is no one definition in terms of a disability, or what constitutes a disability. If the Member has specific issues that his constituents are having trouble accessing programs for disabled, as the Minister responsible for the disabled, I would be happy to get that information from the Member. I will ensure that we get in touch with the proper agency and we take the steps necessary to be responsive to the request that’s being brought forward. Thank you.

I would like to thank, of course, yourself, Madam Speaker, and the people of Hay River for the amount of tremendous work they put into this year after year, and recognize the work of all the communities, the people, the volunteers, the parents, the staff. I was, of course, proud of my own constituency, but it was a very good evening. Thank you.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to address this House in my new role as the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

As Minister, I want to ensure our children inherit a secure future built upon a healthy environment that is capable of supporting traditional lifestyles within a modern economy. This goal is echoed in the department’s mandate and principles and is shared by the staff. We intend to achieve this goal by building on the strengths of our people, both within the department and in the Northwest Territories, and through the wise use and protection of our natural resources.

Together...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish to table the following entitled Department of Environment and Natural Resources: Framework for Action, 2005-2008.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we have a very close working relationship with the NWT Society for the Disabled. We work with them on a disability framework, which is a framework of strategy that was worked on collectively with many, many partners, including many of the government departments like Health and Social Services, Justice, Housing and Education. In there, we attempt to deal with the various service issues that relate to the disabled. Once again, it depends on what the disability is that the person is talking about and what service they are trying to access, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, there are a number of departments involved in this area that would depend on the disability in question and what the circumstances of the request were and what service they were trying to access. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I took the opportunity to go to Hay River last night. It kept me up well past my normal bedtime, but it was well worth the trip, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it was, to me, an exhilarating experience to be in the gym or in the arena with 1,200 students when they marched in with all their schools with their banners beaming with pride and with music going. I must tell you with the fiddlers from Hay River and over 1,200 young people singing their hearts out, it was one of the best renditions of O' Canada that I can remember.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I’ll commit -- and I appreciate the time delay and frustration -- to having the issue resolved by the end of June and I’ll keep the Member informed. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, Senior Citizens’ Week will be celebrated in the NWT from June 5 to 11, 2005. This year, the theme is Stay Active, Be Healthy. Seniors that stay active within the community and remain as healthy as possible set an example for our youth and contribute to their communities by sharing their wisdom and life experience.

In the past few years, as part of the celebration of Senior Citizens’ Week, an annual seniors’ tea was held at the Great Hall in conjunction with the NWT Seniors’ Society annual general meeting. This year, the NWT Seniors’ Society has...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to provide a bit more information for the Member for Sahtu. We recognize that this is a system that covers the whole territory and we have to pay attention to the whole territory as best we can.

In the Sahtu we have invested, over the last few years, several millions of dollars trying to set up a Sahtu authority with the administration and office space and office capacity for the services. We have budgeted two doctors, we are putting in a public health unit, we are going to be for the next few years subsequently following, hopefully, setting...