Tom Beaulieu

Mr. Speaker, I felt one option for getting this government and the communities off on the right foot to start looking at youth issues in the communities is to look at a community based youth strategy specific to this particular community or that particular community of Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution.

I would like to follow up on this by asking the Minister if he will give me a time frame on when he can get started with the community based youth strategy.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the need for this government to look at helping smaller communities with their youth programs. I have questions for the Minister of MACA.

Mr. Speaker, last week I asked the Minister about increasing youth budgets for communities. His response was: if there’s an opportunity to increase funding for youth, that’s something he would look at. My question today is: will the Minister commit to taking action to ensure youth budgets are increased for 2009–2010?

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

Today I rise once again to talk about our youth. On numerous occasions I have taken this opportunity to bring attention to our youth concerns. I have talked about the need to assist communities so they can deliver community based programming. I’ve talked about youth projects. I’ve talked about the need to put youth related facilities in smaller communities. This is very important.

Mr. Speaker, I talked about the importance of hiring qualified youth workers. Hiring is the first step, and being able to keep these individuals is a critical...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for those responses. I also spoke about the Aboriginal Sport Circle and how they deliver programs in many small communities, including Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution. I’d like to ask the Minister if he could commit to increasing the Aboriginal Sport Circle budget to be in line with other territorial sporting organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I also asked about a review of the youth budgets and how they’re allocated to my communities in Tu Nedhe. I got a commitment from the Minister that he will do this.

I would like to follow up today by asking the Minister if he would give me a time frame as to when this review can be completed, keeping in mind that I’m talking about Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e.

I would like to recognize my C.A., Joe Bailey, and his brother Greg Hopf.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Social Programs reviewed Bill 19, the Donation of Food Act, at a public meeting held Thursday, October 16, 2008. At the public meeting we heard from the sponsor of the bill, Ms. Bisaro, on the need to protect businesses that donate food for charity from liability concerns. We heard that many more restaurants and grocery outlets would donate food if the liability issues were dealt with.

The committee heard from Hon. Sandy Lee, Minister of Health and Social Services, on the government’s support for this legislation and the actions that her...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At one time the Department of Public Works maintained an office and staff in Lutselk’e and also had mechanics in Fort Resolution who looked after the maintenance of all heavy equipment in the community. This was discontinued eight years ago. Would the Minister look at working with the Department of Public Works to assist the communities in maintaining their equipment, in addition to what MACA is doing?

I don’t believe the money allocated to the communities for this activity takes into consideration hiring qualified mechanics from outside the community or extra travel and accommodation costs for mechanics and, if parts are needed, expensive freight costs. Will the department look at increasing community budgets to allow them to properly maintain their equipment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Brian Kardash, a schoolteacher from Fort Resolution from last year and Patricia’s husband, as you indicated. I never met his father, but I understand that’s Dan Kardash.