David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to speak today about supplementary health benefits. First off I would like to say thank you to the government. You’ve done the right thing by rescinding the 2007 Supplementary Health Benefits Policy.

Equality and fairness are principles that should build the foundation of any health benefit policy in the Northwest Territories. I’ll continue to work toward ensuring that any of these policies include these principles.

As much as I’m very happy to hear that Cabinet has decided to rescind the 2007 policy on supplementary health benefits, I’m left wondering...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 100-16(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2010-2011, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 100-16(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, when these appropriations are brought before the House, there is the opportunity for the Minister and for the government to defend those costs, but certainly they aren’t met with the same rigor that they would be met with through the business planning process and the main estimates process in the House under full light. They just appear here as one line item, and the government can try to defend it the best way they can, but it doesn’t lend itself to providing Members of this House the best opportunity to question the expenditures of this government.

While I’ve got the floor, Mr...

I thank the Minister for that. I think that would be very useful information and it would clear things up a little bit, because it does run across both the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure as well as the Social Programs committee. So if that information was to go to P and P, that would be great. Thank you.

When we were going through that housing initiative and putting 500 new units on the ground in communities around the Northwest Territories, land tenure was a big issue at the Housing Corporation and additional positions were needed to allow the construction of those new units in communities and a number of employees were added. I’m just wondering, maybe we need to see an HR plan now for the Housing Corporation as well, because those positions were there. I know some of them were term positions but… How is the Housing Corporation going to utilize the people that are there already with these new...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess it’s kind of ironic, I was talking about this yesterday and the decision to transfer the Social Housing Program over to ECE three years ago or four years ago resulted in them needing to hire I think it was 11 or 12 new staff positions at ECE. This is coming before Members of this House requesting the establishment of five new positions for the administration of the program with the Housing Corporation. That’s exactly where it belongs. It was with the Housing Corporation. But there’s been no corresponding human resource plan on the 11 positions and the $1.2...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 66-16(5), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2011-2012, be now concluded, and that Tabled Document 66-16(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister when Regular Members might be able to see a comprehensive human resource plan related to the provision of the Social Housing Policy.

I just wondered if the Minister could explain why one government could just walk in and take the money, even though, Members, I recall there are a few Members on the other side of the House that were here at the time, we initially denied the request to take that money. However, it was done anyway and it just happened just like that. I’d like to ask the Minister how it is that one government could easily take that money and transfer it and with this government it’s taking its time to get the money back to the Housing Corporation. If it could happen quickly then, why can’t it happen as quickly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome all the visitors in the gallery today. It’s always nice to have an audience with us. As well, I’d like to recognize a Page from the riding of Kam Lake that we have with us during this sitting of the House: Ms. Sarah Sibbeston. She’s the granddaughter of former Member Nick Sibbeston and a current senator. Welcome, Sarah. Thank you.