Bill Braden

Mr. Speaker, I would wholeheartedly endorse the idea that we would be able to demonstrate results against objectives for the money that we spend. The final question that I’d like to ask, Mr. Speaker, is where the Minister says he’s considering creating legislation, what kind of a mechanism does he envision for determining if that’s needed and then what kind of time frame for bringing it forward? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the surveys that it did last year indicates that with the low rates that we have, we should be looking at this as a significant advantage. The CFIB points out that this is a competitive advantage for the NWT and Nunavut when it comes to setting up business and employing workers in the NWT. It even goes so far as to credit the board here as being a low cost and well managed board. What steps are we taking to protect that advantage especially in light, Mr. Speaker, of the indication that we have here that rates have increased by...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we have a poor market and an increase in the cost of claims and health care coverage. I was interested in finding out really, you know related to the shared jurisdiction that we have here, have the incidents of accidents and the cost of claims been more or less consistent between Nunavut and the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know from personal experience that running a small business can be a very rewarding and a very satisfying occupation. It can also be very challenging and very risky. In the Northwest Territories, if you’re running a small business -- especially in the service sector -- I don’t think you can be blamed if you’re feeling just a little under siege these days.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of last year, this Assembly increased the minimum wage in the Northwest Territories from $6.50 to $8.25; almost a 30 percent increase. Housing shortages, especially in the Yellowknife area, Mr...

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to getting that information. A bit more specific in the area of the recent increase in assessments in the fast food restaurant; this would, I think, apply perhaps largely to the service sector. The one business that I know of is experiencing a 69 percent increase in assessment rates from one year to the next. The information that I have, Mr. Speaker, indicates that there is a policy or guideline that wants to keep rates, if rates are going to increase, to no more than 25 percent. Could the Minister explain the discrepancy between that threshold or that cap and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this afternoon are in follow-up to my statement. I would direct them to the Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Board. It is a well-known fact, Mr. Speaker, that the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, under a joint board, have enjoyed among the lowest assessment rates in Canada, but what is alarming is the rate of increase. From four years ago to now, we are looking at rates that are going from a $1 to about $2.40. It is this rate of increase, Mr. Speaker, that I would like to address. My question to the Minister is what are the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm encouraged to hear that the board is taking some steps to open the process up. I guess I would hold any further comment until I get some more detail. A public meeting, if it is as the Minister has said, I think falls far short of what I would call adequate public access. I'd like to ask the Minister, for the representatives that we do have in this process -- and it is a closed door process, from my understanding of it -- is there any requirement for those representatives to report back to the Minister, and then consequently to the public? Do we have any access...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel compelled to press my case here because the circumstances of going through with this review and the potential consequences are of some significance. What actions are we taking, Mr. Premier, to expedite the approval and construction of a bridge project? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for the Premier with respect to his position for the Deh Cho Bridge portfolio. In my statement, I outlined a situation where the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board is considering taking this project to a full environmental assessment. The GNWT is a major player in this project; the major player in this project, Mr. Speaker. What is the GNWT’s position on the move to go to a full environmental assessment for this project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the issue here is that while the Minister may be satisfied that our people are satisfied that everything is being done, the public doesn't know. We don't have access to this kind of information. To my understanding, the only information that has been released is a rather sketchy plan that was put out last spring of what the company plans to do; there is really not a lot of detail attached to it. So the public needs access to be satisfied that the plan is indeed a good one. That's what we're looking for, reassurance. Will the Minister undertake some...