Robert Bouchard

Alright. My next question is about the long-term facility in Norman Wells. I’m just wondering, has there been any construction started on this facility.

WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly has established and appointed members of the Northwest Territories Electoral Boundaries Commission, 2012;

AND WHEREAS Section 9(k) of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act enables the Legislative Assembly to establish guidelines or criteria that shall be taken into consideration by the commission;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that the following guidelines be set out for the NWT Electoral Boundaries Commission, 2012:

The commission shall review the existing electoral districts using the most recent and accurate census and...

Another area of concern that I have with the operation of the park is this year on September 15th, the close of the park was on a Saturday, which people were asked to leave the parks during that weekend. I’m wondering if the Minister would commit to looking at those dates and what those dates fall on as far as weekends, and allowing the access through the closest weekend and then shutting your parks down, not having people removed during the middle of the weekend. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was pleased to hear the Minister of ITI’s comments today about tourism and parks and I think our staff has done a great job. The residents of the Northwest Territories, however, have been asking for longer access to these parks as the seasons seem to be getting longer, or maybe we’ve had an exceptionally good year. I’m wondering if the department is looking at being a little bit more flexible in getting these parks opened longer and starting a little bit earlier when the weather allows.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is similar to that along those same lines as the funding arrangement for this capital infrastructure. Indications from the previous numbers… Are there no changes in those numbers? The $28 million has been fixed in for a few years, and is there any indication from the department that that will change at all in the next couple of years? It seems difficult to me, the fact that these numbers are staying steady, but yet the communities and municipalities are all seeing different pressures in CPI, other expenditures where we’re not matching, we’re not keeping up...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2012, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that the following guidelines be set out for the NWT Electoral Boundaries Commission, 2012:

The commission shall review the existing electoral districts using the most recent and accurate census and other population data available;

In keeping with Canadian constitutional conventions and the notion of effective representation, the commission shall make recommendations to achieve relative parity between electoral districts while...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s good to be back here in the House with my colleagues dealing with the important issues of the Northwest Territories. I will equate it to coming to a big family reunion. Everyone is happy to see each other, shake each other’s hand, and shortly after that give each other a jab or two. This morning I was a recipient of most of the jabs, the ribbing, because I wasn’t here for the first day of session. I was travelling with the Minister for Arctic Winter Games. My colleagues know that, but they still had no problem giving me not-so-smart comments. Glad you could make it...

…(inaudible)…I understand that the infrastructure money and the O and M money are closely linked in the fact of demand and stuff. One of the questions I have is the formula, as far as my understanding, is it’s a base-plus and base given to each community plus their per capita plus some other factors. I understand that the department consults with the Association of Municipalities; however, that association has two sides. It has small communities and the larger centres. Some issues they separate the discussion; some issues they continue discussion together. They’re an organization that works...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Like my colleagues, I am fairly supportive of the projects that are in the capital budget. It’s probably one of our lighter budgets, but I do have some concerns in the area of timelines, in the areas of highways and buildings being constructed and the fact that the government has decided to look at these in the fall time in order to be able to put them into operation in the summertime. Somewhere down the road, no pun intended, these are getting farther and farther down the line so we’re beginning projects in July and August and getting into the rainy seasons in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize Lorne Kusugak from Nunavut, who I also had a chance to travel with over the last couple days. Welcome to the House.