David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve got some questions today for the Premier and it gets back to my Member’s statement where, again, I’m asking about the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories and issues that have been brought forward to me from constituents. I’d like to start off with asking the Premier, has the lead Minister responsible for the Strategic Initiative Committee on Reducing the Cost of Living or the Premier himself had any discussions with the federal government as it relates to taxation of northern residents? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to again discuss the high cost of living here in the Northwest Territories today, and especially the community I am most familiar with, and that is Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear; as a government with shrinking revenues, we cannot afford to lose one person from our Territory. It costs us $22,500 every time someone packs up and leaves, usually broke, because they are sick and tired of all their money going to pay bills. If a family of four leaves, it’s over $90,000 that leaves with them. This is happening. People are leaving and our government has...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As much as I personally feel that the money should be deleted, I am going to have to side with some of my colleagues from the smaller communities who feel that the money may find a good use. I have said this before and I think this is just an example of the government wanting to find a committee or do a study or maybe hire a consultant, and I think that is going to eat up a lot of this money. I think the money could be better spent, and I think that the committee has got to be on top of the department when it comes to trying to find ways and means to get nutritious...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I just wanted to maybe get some assurances from the Premier that any potential partnership that the Government of the Northwest Territories is looking at entering into will come back to the House and be done through legislation, Mr. Speaker. I just want to get some assurances on that. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if the Government of the Northwest Territories, the NWT Power Corporation or anybody associated with Cabinet is currently working on any partnerships with ATCO NUL or ATCO Electric. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With all due respect to the Premier and the work of Cabinet, I’d be embarrassed to be associated with a Strategic Initiatives committee that’s done absolutely nothing, Mr. Speaker, in two and a half years. I’d like to ask the Premier if he would even consider, given the high cost of living here and the fact that people are upset, they’re leaving the Territory, I’d like to ask the Premier if he would consider a special committee with Cabinet Ministers and Regular Members to look at the high cost of living. I’m talking about things that are deliverable in the next year...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That’s fair enough. I appreciate the response from the Minister and look forward to seeing that information when it comes available. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was wondering if the Minister has a breakdown of the 20 individuals that have just gone through the training program for careers in corrections. There are 20 individuals. What is the breakdown on that by priority status and aboriginal persons?

Is the Minister aware of direct appointments of non-aboriginal, non-priority persons into positions at North Slave Correctional Centre? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week the Minister of Justice made a statement on the success of a new approach to corrections training and recruitment and I wanted to say I was listening quite closely to that statement. The department has to be applauded for getting the Recruitment Program initiated. Sadly, the reality for aboriginal employees in corrections today is that some are still having a very difficult time at advancing their careers.

I have a constituent who is aboriginal, born and raised in the Northwest Territories. He’s worked in corrections for over 17 years. He has solid performance...