Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just some general comments in terms of what’s before us in the main estimates and the budget, of course, of government. Just my comments in terms of the content and the process, or more so the content.

I think it’s fair to say there’s much less than what we wished for on behalf of our constituents and their desires to improve their communities and to ensure they have healthy families and they have opportunities for jobs and businesses. Whether those points are reflected in the budget at this time remains to be seen, but for the most part it’s just the process of which we...

There seems to be a call of action for this government to put in place some provisions to ensure that the commercial harvest activities of mushrooms are, first of all, regulated. At the same time, there’s a level of control to ensure that this very precious natural resource is protected, so it seems that the Minister needs to do something.

Is the Minister prepared to step towards an interim provision to protect mushrooms? Would the Minister consider establishing immediately an arrangement with First Nations on their traditional lands to put in place a traditional knowledge study of morels...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. My constituency, of course, is situated very close to the southern NWT with easy highway access. Basically the Deh Cho, in the heart of the region, there was tremendous forest fire activity last year that basically rendered a lot of the forests highly impacted by an unfortunate natural occurrence. Yet at the same time, it’s February at this point and summer is dawning. This matter has been raised in the House before.

My question to the Minister is: What changes to legislation need to be made in order...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The community of Enterprise needs to be better prepared for medical emergencies. Right now emergency ambulance services are based in Hay River and it costs at least $400 to take someone to hospital, if the ambulance gets there on time.

Like most communities in the NWT, Enterprise has an aging population. It’s location on Highway No. 3 near the Alberta border means there is greater risk of medical emergencies. If an accident occurs on the highway north of High Level, essentially the closest community would be Enterprise. As the larger community, Hay River is well...

I’d like to thank the Minister. My final question has to do with seniors. Obviously, seniors that have a pension are on a fixed income, and so, increasingly, seniors are choosing, with the support of their families, to stay with them in their homes as long as possible. When an emergency arises, an ambulance has to be dispatched to their community and brought to the closest health centre or hospital. Recently, a resident had to incur their own personal cost of paying for that ambulance service.

Would MACA at least investigate and at some point commit to ensure that residents that have to pay for...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Increasingly, seniors in the NWT are choosing to stay at home for as long as they can, of course, with their children being in the support capacity. However, we’re facing a dilemma in terms of the increased traffic on the public highway system between down south and up here in the North, especially with the establishment of the Deh Cho Bridge. However, there needs to be fundamental services that this government needs to maintain.

My question to the Minister is: I’m aware that MACA has been...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Other than the encouraging words that the Minister has provided, what are some of the immediate reassurances that he can give to the residents of Enterprise along with other northern communities that don’t have access to ambulance services? Mahsi.

I’d like to thank the Minister for giving me a brief understanding in terms of the progress that MACA is leading. Surely at this point governments must have a framework of possibilities in terms of how local communities and organizations could at least dovetail the efforts of the GNWT with community initiatives.

How does Enterprise coordinate emergency ambulance services with Hay River to ensure that Hay River is always available to respond to emergencies in the community?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to National Chief Shaun Atleo, Kathleen Graham’s mother did an awesome job. As chancellor of Vancouver Island University, the chief met with Kathleen and her family following last Friday’s convocation when she received her Master’s degree in business administration.

Kathleen is an inspiration for all Northerners, but especially for Aboriginal youth.

[Translation] Kathleen Graham grew up in Hay River and her grandmother was Anne Buggins, who taught them how to bead and do handicraft work in Dene. She often used moosehide to do craftwork and she also was taught...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These discussions that have been taking place, it seems that perhaps the next logical step that the Premier is more likely to develop or advance towards is the first inaugural meeting of the governance council. Is this the purpose of those talks, ensuring that at least the foundation, the rudimentary structure of the governance council has been laid and that a first meeting could happen perhaps within a year of April 1, 2014? Mahsi.