R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday Mr. Joe McBryan of Hay River, known to many as Buffalo Joe, was awarded the Order of the Northwest Territories. The Order recognizes those who have served with great distinction and excellence in any field of work benefiting the people of the Northwest Territories or elsewhere. It is the highest official honour that the Northwest Territories can bestow upon a current or former resident.

To many of the people I spoke with, Buffalo Joe's induction into the Order came as a surprise: not because they thought he was undeserving; they were surprised that he hadn't...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am going to support this motion. I think it is a way to hold the government accountable. If there are no standards, then they can do whatever they want and say they are right. I think it is also a way to protect those Indigenous groups that don't have settled claims yet like the ones in my region. I will be supporting this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will be supporting this motion. I think that it is a good idea. The notion that there are no issues and no improvements needed with the procurement system seems to be institutionalized within the relevant departments. If we have a panel like this, and we stand up here and ask questions, the Minister won't be able to say that there are no concerns, because I am sure that such a panel would bring forth the concerns, and if they are not acted on, that's not an excuse. If there are no concerns, it would just be that they are ignoring the panel's concerns. I think that this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to provide the "Lessons Learned" Report of the Special Committee on Transition Matters. This report represents the work of the Special Committee on Transition Matters, the second of its kind. The report reflects the committee's shared commitment to make incremental improvements to the unique form of consensus government that exists in the Northwest Territories. Its intention is to offer the best advice and accumulated wisdom of the Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly to those of the 19th.

The terms of reference for this committee were more narrowly...

If a loved one gets sick or passes away and you need to be by their side or to mourn, he will help you get to them and ask nothing in return. If you had to spend Christmas at the hospital in Edmonton away from your family, he would make sure that you got your Christmas gifts free of charge.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of the examples of Buffalo Joe's acts of generosity, and, when you consider that he has been at it for nearly half a century, you know that there are countless more. These are the reasons that Buffalo Joe McBryan was inducted into the Order of the NWT. I want to thank him...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of the other Members have referenced last night. It was about six hours that we discussed this. At the clause-by-clause, there were another four and a half hours, and the committee itself spent days and days and days focusing on this act and how we could make it better. Even now, after all of that, as I stand here, I am still torn about whether or not I fully support this legislation, and there are a number of reasons for that.

There are a number of reasons to support the legislation. It is not, maybe, the world-class legislation that we were promised, but it does...

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you. To the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you. That is a question for the Minister. I will direct it to the Minister. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you. I think we are in for a long night regardless. Clause 7. Mr. O'Reilly.