Wendy Bisaro

Mr. Chairman, it is good to hear that this is going to be ongoing. I am presuming that it will be added to base funding for the fiscal year 2011-12. Also, in terms of child care, and I think that the Minister referenced that there is going to be some research done, some investigation done in terms of what child care facilities do exist in the NWT, and I think it is a very valuable research. I believe that we need to be putting an awful lot more money into child care spaces, assisting child care with both physical facilities, capital costs and with providing more daycare spaces for people who...

One other question. The Minister mentioned earlier today when he was talking about Ecole Allain St-Cyr, I think, that there is a 10-year education plan that is underway that, I think, is being developed now at this point in time. I wondered if he could advise if that is the case and if he could advise when this 10-year education plan or facilities education plan will be available and complete. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question has to do with board reform. I mentioned it in my remarks earlier. I’d like to know from the Minister whether or not the department has any plans over this next fiscal year to make any changes in terms of the makeup of education authorities or if there are any plans, if it’s not changed in the makeup, what sorts of things are in the works that the department is planning to work on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 11, 2010, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are addressed to the Minister of ENR as well. I have some questions for him with regard to my Member’s statement and the situation in regard to the ban on hunting caribou. I have to say, at the outset, I need to admire the Minister’s dress today. It’s a very flashy vest.

I know that we’ve discussed last week, and the Minister answered many questions, about consultation and consultation ongoing, and plans to come to an agreement and so on. I don’t believe I heard an answer in his answer to Mr. Yakeleya. I’d like to ask the Minister for an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, at the outset I would like to say I am going to support this motion. I spoke in my Member’s statement about the need for conservation and, in my view, it needs to be the basis of any resolution to this particular disagreement. It should be the only reason that we are discussing this particular issue. The caribou herd, in my view, is in distress and in order to preserve it from extinction there needs to be a solution that considers conservation.

I think we’ve managed to get to a place where we have groups on two different sides and the sides can’t agree. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I have to ask the Minister, if it’s a very successful and popular process, I would suggest that’s probably not the case for the residents of the Yellowknives in Dettah and Ndilo. So could I ask the Minister for clarification: do we have residents within the Yellowknife area who are happy with the process and happy with the outcome? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. He’s talking about getting back and getting together again. I wonder if I could get some indication of the time frame. When will the parties next meet and when do they think they might maybe come to an agreement and a solution? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve yet to speak about the caribou issue, as some have been calling it, and so I will do so today.

Even though I haven’t spoken yet, I have been considering all aspects of it every day for the last week and more, listening to my colleagues on both sides of the House, listening to elders and other residents as they speak to us in person and via the media. I’ve been trying to reconcile the arguments, the concerns, the differences of opinions and the different positions. It has been difficult to do.

At the core of this issue is the need for conservation of the...

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I have a number of comments. These are not in any particular order, but some are in reference to the budget in general and some are in reference to the Minister’s opening remarks.

I would like to start off by talking about there is a statement, I think it is in the business plan, there is a trend to a decreased use of income assistance funds, but I know over the last week or two I have heard the Minister state that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment... Income support is certainly handling more income support claims. So I am a little bit concerned that if...