Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you, I have the great honour and privilege today to introduce a special group from Range Lake North School, a Grade 6 class of social studies. I got to know this class over the year and they’re an incredible group of students, so it’s my pleasure to have them in the House today here and I’d like to introduce each and every one of them. I have Mathieu Durnford, Matthew Broadis, Genesis Saturos, Rayyane Awan, Ethan Aumond, Naba Osman, Stephanie Walsh, Sarah Campbell, Hannah Downes, Aishah Mohammed, Abbey Newberry and I’ve got Drew Wolfe, and unfortunately, two of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I too would like to welcome the Minister and the department here today. At the sake of not echoing the very same sentiments of my colleagues here, a lot of passion has gone into this bill. The Minister would definitely know that. The Minister himself, as a Regular Member, travelled to these very same communities in the 16th Assembly and took part in one of the major reports that is mentioned in the report and some of the compass headings that this committee has to use to navigate through what was pretty trying times for a number of our residents in the Northwest...

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Continuing on with questions and general comments I have Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, if you can please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Minister Abernethy, can you please introduce your witnesses to the House.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. We’ll now go to the Minister to see if he would like to bring witnesses into the House. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, committee. Committee Report 17-17(5) is concluded.

Committee, we’ll continue with the orders here. Committee, we agreed to consider Bill 47, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act. I’ll go to the Minister responsible for the bill to introduce it. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Thank you, committee. Committee, we have before us here still left outstanding Committee Report 17-17(5), Standing Committee on Social Programs, we have a report of the review of Bill 44, Hospital Insurance and Health and Social Services Administration Act. With that, I believe we’ll go to Mr. Moses. Mr. Moses.

Good afternoon, committee. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With another tax season behind us, I’m reminded that the northern residents deduction has not changed since 2008 when it went up a paltry 10 percent. A lot of things have changed through the years, particularly the cost of living in the country, and this is one thing that seems to go up and never seems to come down. To think about it, taxes often defy gravity in the same way.

Yes, I know our Finance Minister is not responsible for the federal taxes we pay, nor can he increase northern residents deduction on his own, but he could use his persuasive power to sway his...