Shane Thompson

I thank the Premier for that answer. It is great that we are tracking stuff. Do not get me wrong. This is a really great program. I think it is doing what it is supposed to be doing in the small communities. Does the federal government provide additional funds for the cost to run these three positions and offices because of the new duties?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is that time of year again where we see communities hosting their spring carnivals. This past Sunday, Fort Simpson opened up the Beavertail Jamboree with a sliding party, outdoor skating party, chili cook-off, bonfire, and fireworks. Monday, they started their three-on-three basketball tournament, first games of the Beaver Cup four-on-four hockey tournament, the annual single crib tournament, which led on to Tuesday where they continued the hockey tournament and the doubles crib tournament. Wednesday saw bingo, family scavenger hunt, drum dance, and an...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is a very touchy subject, and I was part of the committee that went around to the territories and listened to people. So first off, I would like to thank the committee for all the hard work that we put into this report. We met 19 times. We went and listened to people. We had submissions. So we have to realize this wasn't done willy-nilly; this was done through the work of a committee that was trying to make the code of conduct work well for the Members and for the people of the Northwest Territories.

I have to thank the research staff in the clerk's office...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the mill rate belongs to municipalities, and I am talking about a similar approach. Since the Minister isn't going to look at that, will the Minister have his department look at only charging for 10 years and have the total cost spread over a 30-year time period instead of the lessees paying for, over and over again, as every 10 years, they are paying for their land? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minster for his answer. Why isn't the department using the mill rate, like tax-based communities use, instead of using the flat rate of 10 per cent for land leases?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, the Minister of Lands spoke in his Minister's statement on what the departments have been working on to serve residents, in the way that best reflects the Northwest Territories' interests and priorities. It talks about Lands and bringing the two Lands acts together. One of the things they talked about was reviewing --

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks, colleagues. She believes that, once the right people are in the right positions, Jean Marie River as a small community can be a leading force in all areas of existence, including climate change, energy efficiency, and health.

Mr. Speaker, as part of the regional leadership, Gladys serves on the Dehcho Executive Committee, Dehcho Education Scholarship Committee, and is the president of the Dehcho Helicopters Limited.

Mr. Speaker, this is just one woman from the region. I encourage women to continue to be the fabric of our society and take on leadership roles...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the Minister's answer. We don't have those connections. We actually have to land here in Yellowknife, switch airlines, and then get on from there. Sometimes, we can get there on First Air, and then land here, and get on another First Air flight. Sometimes we can't do that, so I just wanted to get that clarified. The second one is regard to charters. If we charter from Fort Simpson to our smaller communities, because of costs to get into these communities, how does that fee get collected? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This should be brief. We have heard from our fellow colleagues, our honourable colleagues, as they addressed the issues. There are a number of questions that keep popping into my head. From my riding, it is a $39 increase. If we want to go to Edmonton, we have to switch from here onto another plane and then continue on. It is not a direct flight, like some of the other communities. It is a $39 increase. It doesn't sound like a lot, but when you are paying a large amount of money to get on a plane to get out just from Fort Simpson to Yellowknife, it is a factor.

Some of the...

I thank the Minister for his answer. Will the Minister direct his department to look at how tax-based communities come up with their mill rate and then develop their own mill rate to replace the 10 per cent approach presently used by this government?