Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to make some comments on the budget delivered today. Mr. Speaker, in some ways, I, too, feel like it is a Groundhog Day budget. There is not really that much new in there, although I do support the highway idea all the way to Tuk.

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But there is really not much in there that we have not heard before. Most of the light of the budget was on the federal government. I don’t think I have ever seen a budget where about half of the print speaks to that. Mr. Speaker, I, too, sincerely hope that the new Prime Minister Harper will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on page 8, in talking about revenue from corporate income tax, the Minister stated that the GNWT received $3.5 million. I am assuming that that constitutes rather a lower amount than what was expected, hence the change in corporate tax rate. So could the Minister indicate what he’s projected to have lost by the high rate prior to the reduction? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this is a pilot program. It’s running out of Yellowknife, but I have no doubt that this will have to expand to other communities. I am just wondering if the Minister could commit to this House to make this one of his priority issues to deal with his federal counterpart as soon as that person is known to advance this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that answer and the efforts that the Minister and the government are making in that regard. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister stated, there is a huge need for this, and I think Members on this side of the floor have been getting lots of calls from those parents or caregivers who are able to get some relief, which is what this program is meant to do, except I think there is an opening for about a dozen placements and there is a waiting list of probably five times longer, if not longer than that. It seems like there is no system in place to move...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to welcome everybody, the leaders, artists, interested public, and the parents. I would like to recognize Mrs. Esther Braden and Mr. Ed Jeske who often chauffeur lots of seniors from Avens Court. I would like to thank Mrs. Braden for convincing my mother to come and see the first day because she usually likes to watch us on TV, so my mother, Taejeong Lee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that we will probably have an opportunity to discuss this in detail as the days come along, but I am just wondering if the Minister could indicate to the House as to whether there were any programs under federal funding that he’s aware of, or are we already accessing any federal money on that? The previous government in Ottawa spoke about homecare funding and I guess we need time to sort out all the promises and commitments by various parties, but could he indicate to the House about any federal funding available for this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It appears that we’re strong with…We’re starting with a bang in this first day of five weeks of session to come.

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Mr. Speaker, my question, however, is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It’s in regards to the respite care program. Mr. Speaker, for many months and the number of years I’ve been here, there has been a call for the need, or speaking about the need, for the respite care program. We’ve finally got one in Yellowknife. It’s being run by Abe Miller and the Association for Community Living. But, as far as I’m aware, it’s a pilot program...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since our last sitting in November, the winds of political change have swept across the NWT and many parts of our country. Canada elected a Conservative minority government in Ottawa, and in the NWT, the people voted for a change and the agent for change they have chosen is the new MP for the Western Arctic, Mr. Dennis Bevington. In my first opportunity to do so in this House, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to Mr. Bevington.

Mr. Speaker, I can speak from having watched them more closely than others, that he and his team were very diligent...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was there in the tour with the Minister. I recall a proposal, but I may be wrong, so I'd like to ask the Minister, when is the last time, or in what form -- in a letter, e-mail, phone call -- did he communicate to that business in Kam Lake, that we have this investment opportunity in the government, and what can you do, is submit a proposal. I want to know when and how. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to wonder why the government thinks it would be a great idea to invest $26 million in an ATCO/Novel project in Calgary, but thinks that that's an unreasonable thing to consider a $3 million investment. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know, from the Minister, in exactly what way he communicated to these companies that he's looking for a proposal. Was it a letter? In exactly what form did he invite these people to submit a proposal? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.