Bill Braden

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be speaking in support of the motion and I would look at the three tasks or the demands that we are putting forward in this motion, Mr. Speaker, as the areas that I would like to address. I think my statement reflected my deep concern for the first requirement, Mr. Speaker, and that is that we take on a much more urgent basis the sunset of the funding program that we have had in place with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation from $33 million, Mr. Speaker, this year in long-term mortgage assistance and O and M, and we’re going to see that drop, I think...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m told that there was one distinct category that had to be created in which to, if you will, park the files of employees whose new positions had not yet been reclassified. This category went by, apparently the number 7777. Employees who may have found their position put into this category, I’m told, may have been overlooked in the settlement process and consequently in the search process, and would not show up on any eligibility lists. Could the Minister confirm that this category indeed was used for this purpose, and what efforts are being made to ensure that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for Mr. Dent in his capacity as Government House Leader and it follows on my statement about the equal pay settlement that our government signed more than two years ago now. The settlement, Mr. Speaker, set out a deadline of the end of December this year for application by employees who feel they may be eligible. Among its many provisions, the settlement recognized affected unionized employees and obliged this government to try to contact them. I would like to ask the Government House Leader how successful has the government been in...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In 1989, the Public Service Alliance of Canada filed an equal pay or work of equal value complaint against the Government of the Northwest Territories. The complaint alleged that the government had broken the Canadian Human Rights Act by paying men more than women in similar jobs. In June of 2002, three years later, this government, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and the Canadian Human Rights Commission agreed on a deal for GNWT unionized employees regarding equal pay for work of equal value; an historic settlement, Mr. Speaker. It recognized that both former...

Mr. Chairman, I guess I’d just like a bit of procedural help here, and perhaps you could advise what is committee’s ability to deny or exclude this item from the bill. What kind of procedural options do we have in this respect? Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In discussion on this item in the previous day, I believe the Minister of Transportation said that he would bring back some information regarding the relative comparison of CATSA’s investment in the Yellowknife Airport’s detection system. In asking for this information, Mr. Chairman, what I wanted to do was see just how Yellowknife was fairing in comparison to other airports that need to make an investment for security reasons. Has the Minister had a chance to assemble any of that information and give us a picture of just how Yellowknife fairs as far as the federal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Despite the fact they may or may not have been included in the articles of the settlement, does that mean that they should still be eligible under at least the spirit and intent of the agreement? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister, for the answer. The settlement also recognized that casual workers who where employed by this government between that period were also included as being eligible. What efforts have been made to contact these casual workers and how successful has that part of the agreement been? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a privilege and a pleasure to recognize family, as always. Today I am pleased to recognize in the House my mother, Esther Braden, and another honoured senior within our community, Mr. Ed Jeske. Thank you.

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So just to confirm then, there’s absolutely nothing we can do about this expenditure.