Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize a long-time friend and well-recognized senior in Yellowknife, Mr. Ed Jeske.

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Ed called me the other day and gave me heck for not consulting with him before deciding to retire. I appreciate the fact that I made my decision before I called him. With Mr. Jeske is Vivian Squires, the executive director of the Seniors Society here in Yellowknife. I’d also like to recognize a constituent who’s been in the gallery many times over the years that I’ve been a Member, and that’s Ms. Barb Wyness with the UNW. Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a significant dollar figure and outstanding invoices to the contractor who was to deliver the system in a working state to us and we are in the process of ensuring that we are satisfied that we have a working system before we would even consider paying those invoices. We are also tracking our extra costs. So we think that we have some protection and we will be working to ensure that we do our best to make sure that we are delivered a system for the price we were told we would get it for and protect the taxpayers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absence Management was a brand new module that we have not used in the past. So when we turn that off, then leave is being handled in the same way that it has been up until the new software was installed. So it is the same process as was used prior to July 3. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we ran a system in parallel before moving it to go live and it seemed to work when it was running in a test system. For some reason, when it moved into the production system, it didn’t work. I can’t answer why that happened. In fact, it seems we are having some trouble getting to that answer. Mr. Speaker, the issue that the Member refers to this week was not a software issue. That was a human issue. That sort of thing can’t be solved by new software. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, no. The version of the program that we are moving to will not be a customized version. That is what has led to the problems. The problems that we have had have been trying to move away from a program that was modified in ways that were…It is difficult to find words to explain why it was done that way because I am not sure. I really can’t explain why the modifications were made to the program in the first place, but I can tell you that moving to a plain Jane version…

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No pun intended at all. Moving to a vanilla version, Mr. Speaker, has met...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Student Financial Assistance Act to raise the maximum aggregate of the principal amounts of all student loans that may be made to one person. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories, the Cabinet, has adopted a policy on income security. That policy speaks to how our approach to income security should take place. It is going to take some time to coordinate everything, but the first steps are taking place starting on September 1 when we roll out the new Income Support Program. We will be developing offices across the Northwest Territories to ensure that our subsidy programs are delivered in a more coordinated fashion.

This government right now delivers $120 million a year of direct subsidies to people....

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would agree with the Member that the best practice would be for the government to have a corporate human resource plan. In fact, the department has prepared a broad, high level plan to take to deputies here within the next two months. So we are hoping to move forward with that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are planning to change the focus of the Income Support Program from one of a program of last resort, to one that looks at what are the needs of an individual and a person who is disabled needs an ability to participate in society. They have different needs than somebody who is able bodied and perhaps just in between jobs. So the focus of the program is going to be significantly different. I believe we will be able to significantly improve on the supports that we are providing. Thank you.