Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I'm going to have questions for the Minister of Finance on the fibre optic project. I understand it was initially started as a two-year project with a one-year extension, so given the fact that this is going to be the last year I'm kind of hoping that the wave of solidarity might be wishful thinking, but I'm going to ask anyway from my side having not experienced yesterday. However, this is a project that is going to be an ownership by this government for the people and at a significant price tab and I'm particularly going to ask questions and get the assurances...

Going back to a clean bill of health for all the subcontractors providing services in and outside of the Sahtu Region for the project, whether that service is coming from Fort Simpson, or other parts of Canada for that matter, it's a project that was initiated by this government and we want to ensure that we get the product that was initiated by this government as per the specifications, and a clean bill of health that all subcontractors are paid. If the Minister would provide a briefing, prior to the takeover date, that everybody is paid?

My last question. I'm surprised to see this government really not taking an active role in the responsibilities inherited on April 1, 2014. Let the listeners be judgmental of that come midterm review next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My question is: are we going to get a yes or a no?

My question is that is the Minister of ITI willing to support an oversight committee to ensure that the property is cleaned and discussions are held for transfer of title? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I sit here today from our last day session in June with highlighting some of the events that happened throughout Sahtu in the summer months and the activities going on and new recognitions of endorsements. In Colville Lake, we had the community initiate a learning basics training of labour. Deline was recognized for two fronts. Number one is the recognition of the biosphere reserve underneath the international UNESCO for the Great Bear Lake and their initiation of selfgovernment starting this September 1st. It's the first one of the territories as well as of the...

Okay. Well, would the Minister support, let's say, the other Department of Lands to initiate this operational oversight committee?

Mr. Speaker, a simple yes or no would have been appropriate so we can move on to creating some jobs for the reclamation, but, yes, I'm quite familiar with the activities in my area and the interim reclamation permit sought by the company. In taking a more proactive role in the responsibilities of devolution, I think we shouldn't sit back and wait. If we had –

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I ask the questions on the Norman Wells reclamation to the Minister of ITI, and it includes a number of factors, and I wish not for the information to be relayed onto the two departments that are devolutionally responsible for land management, environmental resources, and so on. So if I can get some clarification on the questions that I asked? Number one is, everybody knows that Norman Wells has contributed a great wealth to the shareholders. The shareholders are the federal and the private shareholder, Imperial Oil, holding two-thirds and the feds holding one...

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. The Department of Justice has a new department, or this whole government has a new department, with the Public Transparency, which we hope would ease some comfort in the outstanding land claims and the outstanding self-government initiatives. I think I tried to summarize the various departments and the challenges we have, and I look forward in moving ahead. I will look forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting down to business, so we can be mindful of the 60 to 70, 80 per cent unemployment, which I assure you we do have in these smaller...