Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, will be supporting this amendment to the act. I think it’s important for the safety of other drivers and pedestrians on the road that you’re not distracted while you’re operating a motor vehicle, so I would support that. Both talking on the cell and texting on the cell while driving seem to be unsafe things to do. This would restrict that, so I support the bill. Thank you.

Does this government plan on moving forward with any transitional document to try to provide support for the communities to hire qualified youth workers? I think that if we have some program dollars, or we have some infrastructure, the one piece of the puzzle that seems to be missing is qualified youth workers who work with the youth so that they have programs that are viable at the community level.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the youth, and programs and infrastructure that are needed for the youth in the communities. I have questions for the Minister of youth. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister what this government is going to do to ensure that some of the much needed infrastructure that was built for the youth is going to continue on to the other communities that don’t have that infrastructure yet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a quick question. Given that we’re advancing this project ahead of schedule, is there any opportunity for savings on infrastructure costs here? Thank you.

Can the Minister tell me if this government is ensuring that the Employment Support Program is being delivered at the community level? Not regional level or YK, but actually delivered at the community level. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the Education, Culture and Employment programs for small communities, the Employment Support Program. I have questions for the Minister of ECE on that Member’s statement.

Can the Minister tell me if the Small Community Employment Support Program -- I think there are three programs tied together -- has been rolled out to the communities yet? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me why the client service officers that are already located in the small communities don’t deliver the program as opposed to using the career development officers, which are mainly in the larger communities? They are in some small communities, but mainly in the larger communities. I just want to know why the client service officers would not be able to deliver this program. Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me if there are actual increases and individuals hired in the small communities as a result of this program? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

I talked many times during the 16th Assembly about the important issue of employment in the small communities in the NWT, specifically the low employment rates in the small communities. Although the GNWT has established the Small Community Employment Support Program Guidelines which came into effect April 1, 2011, to date I have not seen any marked improvement to the employment rates in Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution.

In my last Member’s statement on this issue, on May 13, 2011, I said that the three employment programs should be...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a couple of questions along the same line of questioning as Mr. Krutko. In the communities what I’m being told by some of the homeowners that are now elders that originally go about to construct their homes on what they’re referring to as treaty land and may be legally called Indian Affairs branch lands but referred to as treaty land, I’m wondering if there was a process at some point where the federal government transferred their lands to the GNWT, and if there was a process, when did this process take place. Thank you.