Text of speech (check against delivery):

February 28, 2012

February 17, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, the health and safety of our people is a priority for each of us here.  I rise today to give you an example of what we can accomplish when individuals take up the challenge to be safer every day and make smart choices.

February 17, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 2012 Arctic Winter Games.  This year the Games are being held from March 4 to 10 in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Since 1970, the Arctic Winter Games have been bringing people from the circumpolar region together every two years for a celebration of sport and culture.  We are proud to once again participate in this event.

February 17, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, International Women's Day on March 8th is a global day of celebration to honour women's advancement towards equality in all areas of life.

In the Northwest Territories, the Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories celebrates International Women’s Day by hosting the Wise Women Awards and celebrating the winners with the Bread and Roses Luncheon in the Great Hall of our Assembly.  This year, is the 20^th anniversary of the Wise Women Awards.

February 16, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to provide this House and Northerners with an update on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk portion of the Mackenzie Valley Highway project.

February 16, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide an update on the Shelter Policy Review which began during the last Legislative Assembly and is now almost finished. The Shelter Policy Review was a broad based examination of housing in the Northwest Territories and was intended to provide a long-term strategic framework for housing.

Improving housing conditions is one of the key priorities of the 17^th Legislative Assembly, and completing and implementing the Shelter Policy Review was identified as a key component of advancing this priority.

February 15, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, February 20th to 24th marks Education Week. We are celebrating the academic achievements of students across the Northwest Territories and recognizing educators who support and strengthen our education system.

February 15, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, high electricity costs are a fact of life in the North and are a significant component of the cost of living for the people of the Northwest Territories. External factors like global energy prices, our remote location and lack of economies of scale all contribute to high costs in our communities. Some costs of producing and distributing electricity in the NWT can be controlled, however, and the Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to managing these in order to keep costs for our residents as low as possible.

February 15, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, entrepreneurs and small business owners are a crucial part of the Northwest Territories’ economy.  They are essential to creating an economic environment that is strong and diversified providing each region with opportunities and choices.

February 14, 2012 - Mr. Speaker, Members of this House and the people of the Northwest Territories have made it clear that we need to complete a new Wildlife Act.

We need legislation that incorporates the most current tools for wildlife management. This is vital to conserving our wildlife populations for current and future generations.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has developed a process to address outstanding issues and to revise the proposed new legislation accordingly.