Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we heard in the news a lot about this issue about the strengthening teachers instructional practice pilot. We have heard it in the editorial again. It is talking about the negative impact on it. We have heard from the teachers' union of the positive of that. I am trying to get this cleared up. Can the Minister inform this House: is this part of the Education Renewal Framework? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer. That kind of led into my other question I was going to ask anyway, but I'll, you know, modify it a little bit here. So when can I expect the Minister to come work with us and maybe bring the Minister of Lands to come along and meet with these communities and do a community regional tour? So when can we look at this? Is it going to be sooner or later?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister for Transportation spoke about the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells, and he provided, you know, the importance of this road being granted resources and traditional lands that gives opportunity for recreation and tourism. It will create jobs, general training opportunities, and heavy equipment opportunities for training. So can the Minister please -- or yourself, Mr. Speaker -- when can we expect to see funding for other access roads projects, or is it focused entirely on the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the $700 million? Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I could probably go on for about 20 minutes, so I will try to summarize it as quickly as possible.

They talked about jobs, that it is important, about working, whether it is them or their families, to not only get off social income but work.

Mr. Speaker, they went on to talk about housing and how some friends and family members live in houses that are not suitable, and some of the challenges that they face. They are asking about that. They talked about homelessness.

Mr. Speaker, I had individual students come talk to me afterwards, and they...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these are questions for the Minister of ITI about tourism. It's very important in my riding; it's a beautiful country and that. Can the Minister please advise this House what his department is doing for the smaller communities in helping promote tourism? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for her answer. It still didn’t really give me a plan. We're going to get rid as many as we can, and it's unfortunate because I know in Fort Liard we've been trying to get that information from the Minister. Later on she talks about the importance of the local housing authorities in the communities of Fort Liard, Gameti, and Whati and people can go speak to the maintenance officers who might be there. So can the Minister please advise this House when these positions will be filled? Because in Fort Liard I know the housing manager is there, and I appreciate the government...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today the Minister of Housing presented a progress statement on NWT housing. So in one of her statements she goes on to talk about moving vacant units into three-bedroom four-plexes. Can the Minister please provide this House what communities she's looking at doing it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with great sadness, I announce the sudden and unexpected passing of a former colleague and dear friend, Chris Szabo, on January 18, 2017, in his home in the Nasksup, BC, at the age of 59.

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet Chris in the spring of 1988 in Inuvik, then later in Cambridge Bay where he was the recreation coordinator. He spent almost three years in this job, until he became the senior development officer for the Kitikmeot region. Thanks to his leadership, he developed the Kitikmeot Recreation Association and connected the community...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. That's some pretty exciting news, and safety is very important. When he talked about CanNor previously and bringing them in, and it's great, but some of the people in my riding are asking why are we bringing southern companies in to promote tourism when we could be looking at our successful tourism businesses in the North and getting these people to provide information and training that showed off their success. Could the Minister please advise this House how southern companies are brought in for tourism training and not northern...

It's great to hear what the department's doing, but can the Minister provide a breakdown per regions and what ridings with the money that's being spent in these areas?