Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, safety is always one of our biggest concerns as a Cabinet. The Member makes a good point. We all here have communities that would potentially benefit from a 911 service. I have said on a few occasions that the communities have it within their power and they have the means to provide the service to their residents if they decide it is a priority for their community. I have also said that there are a couple of communities that are working on trying to enhance their emergency services before they take the next step into planning and implementing 911. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we are trying to be as flexible as possible in putting people in units. These are homeownership units. If clients cannot be found and if every avenue is exhausted, then we will need to have that discussion as to what to do with the units. If there are some creative ways we can work to get people in the unit, then obviously we’d be more willing to have a look at that and work with the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Commissioner’s Land Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As many of us live in small communities, we see how in times of emergency the communities usually respond very quickly and usually have good results because of it. There is always the planning and that, and sometimes you don’t worry so much about the planning, but action that needs to be taken. So they take it upon themselves to do that. But I will commit to the Member that I will speak to the appropriate departments and see what is being done about an overall action plan for emergency services and rescue. Thank you.

I said we will continue to work with the communities and see what kinds of plans come up. We are always willing to work with the communities. I think sometimes there is always the question of…Well, there is always the big question of funding. When we do work with them, they think we are going to bring our cheque book when we’ve already given them all the money we’ve got, so we have nothing left in the bank, the MACA bank anyway. So we will continue to follow up on this and work with the communities and see if there is some kind of action plan that is being put together. Thank you.

I don’t think I gave the impression of small towns versus big communities. I have been hearing that argument a lot. I have no intention of saying anything of the sort. We are the Government of the Northwest Territories and that includes all 33 communities and not just seven. There are opportunities there that see 911 as a priority, to use the money that is given to them by this government to enhance their emergency services. That includes 911 and, Mr. Speaker, that would be a decision that they have to make.

I have already said I have heard from a couple of communities that are not going to...

The money that we flow to the communities is part of their capital formula funding and is part of the gas tax money. We flow that to the communities. Questions were raised to me by other Members of the Assembly on infrastructure in their communities and I tell them that we flow the capital infrastructure money if projects they speak of meet the criteria. I think money that we flow to the city, the money that we flow to the seven communities that are the ones that were mentioned in the report comes close to $17 million and if those communities want to use that money to implement a 911 service...

We are always trying to improve the delivery of our programs. We do evaluations every so often and this could be one of the things that we could have a look at and if there’s an opportunity there to change the process so we deliver our programs a lot quicker, more efficiently and have everything on the ground sooner, then I’ll commit to the Member that we’ll look into that. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the application process that’s going through right now, we’re hoping to have all these folks approved as soon as possible, so then the ordering of the materials can start, so it would fit into the scenario that the Member mentioned, because it is a concern as to the lateness of some of these contracts being started and we are taking steps to ensure that we’re out there quick and the work can get done a lot quicker than it is now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this whole situation has left a bad taste in all of our mouths and a bad taste across the Northwest Territories and it’s unfortunate. As much as we have our views on certain things and as much as we don’t like the situation, Mr. Hughes is a man of great integrity in my opinion. Therefore, the motion is very simple. It just says that the report of the sole adjudicator be accepted and that’s what I intend to do today, is vote for the report of the sole adjudicator to be accepted. Thank you.