Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the residents of the Nahendeh riding for giving me the privilege of representing them for the past four years. I am and always will be humbled for being elected to this job. It is about the people. I am representing their voice and their ideas.

To the community and regional leadership, these past four years, I enjoyed your honesty and frankness as we tried to address concerns and issues with the GNWT, federal government, or others. I would like to thank you for opening your homes, offices, and community to me as we work for the residents of Nahendeh.

To...

When I've been talking to the residents in both those communities, they talked about the opportunity to maybe increase the number of tags for outside the region, not just the community. Has the department looked at that potential opportunity?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Minister of ENR. Mr. Speaker, in the Nahendeh riding, in particular Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte, we've had some issues with the buffalo. The community has reached out and asked: what are we doing there? Can the Minister please provide us an update on what plans they have to help mitigate the problems that these animals are causing? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This will be the last I'll ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement this session.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank all the legislative staff and the Executive Branch staff. You were so helpful and supportive. They were very important as we did our work, and they helped give us good direction.

To friends and family, thank you for your support throughout these four years. I know I've missed some important life events, but you are very understanding of this.

Finally, I'd like to thank Ms. Grace. I know I'm not supposed to thank her, but I'm going...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On page 41, it says "community access road improvements." It says "various." Can the Minister elaborate further on this part, please? Thank you.

Just a quick question. In regard to the long-term care facility for Fort Simpson, it was originally planned with a hospital. Is this still the plan? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for that clarification. I am not asking them to come and administer the funding and do the co-management. I appreciate the department regional staff has reached out. What I am hearing from the communities is they are at capacity. If we get them out to do training, that is the one or two individuals who are actually operating the community. Training doesn't help. They are asking if there is some way that we could build capacity.

Minister, I understand we have talked about it. I am just telling you what I have been hearing again from the communities...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a couple of concerns with this capital plan as presented here right now. There is a shortfall for municipal funding. It was an issue when I first ran, and I am hearing it again. I am hoping that the government was going to be able to try to help increase this. I know that the government is working with the federal government to try to get more money, but it has been a situation where the communities are asking for more money because they don't feel that they are getting enough.

The other concern that I have, and again, I am probably going to have some questions in...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee Report 38-18(3): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Transition Matters be received and adopted by this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On page 46, it says surface water management, phase 1. Is that the work just to help fix up the issues on the new airport? Is that what we are doing here?