David Ramsay

But again, I am having trouble understanding the rationale the Minister uses. I want to ask him: what standards and policies does Corrections in the Department of Justice have when it comes to programming? Do those policies and standards mirror the federal government’s Correctional Service of Canada?

I want to speak again today about sex offender and family violence programming at North Slave Correctional Centre.

I've been greatly concerned over the Minister's comments to me, in previous rounds of questioning, that the two program delivery officers are going to be reassigned to caseworkers, and that other staff at the facility are going to be trained to deliver the programming. This is completely absurd. Does the Minister really and actually believe that other staff could attend a week or ten-day training course and just simply step into delivering a group therapy sex offender or family...

If it’s going to take a year, then I’m wondering why the Minister would stand up in the House yesterday and announce it if we are going to go through the consultation process and get out there and talk to stakeholders and talk to Regular Members on this decision to effect capital projects. I’m wondering if the Minister can answer this question: has the department or the government done any type of economic analysis to suggest what losses the government would have in the area of corporate taxes and the out-migration of people? There’s a big impact by making a decision like this, and I’m...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about the government’s intentions in regard to the Business Incentive Policy, and I thank Ms. Bisaro for her statement earlier today.

Since its inception there have been numerous debates, motions and discussions surrounding the Business Incentive Policy in this House. I listened to Minister Michael McLeod’s statement yesterday, where he suggested that the government’s intention is to scrap the BIP from GNWT contracts.

This is something the government cannot simply cut. This action would have far-reaching impact on all of our communities. I am...

I have heard it was as high as 26 at Stanton, but I guess I’ll wait for the Minister to get us that information.

I would be interested in knowing, not just at Stanton but in the rest of the authorities, what the unfunded position level is.

Mr. Chairman, I guess that is a fairly large assumption on behalf of the department and on behalf of government: that this budget is actually going to pass. We’re affecting the lives of over 100 people to what end? It’s not entirely necessary, in my mind, that we’ve had to do this. Notifying them is one thing, but moving them around and impacting other people while you’re doing it, to me, is not a very good process we’re following here. It’s totally pre-empted the budget we have before us.

Really, we’re working with a document that’s not set in stone. It’s evolving every day as people come and...

Mr. Chairman, I want to ask a few questions on the position reductions as well. Maybe I could get a comment from the Minister on what her definition of “placed” means.

As my colleague Mr. Krutko alluded to, there have been many studies. There have been lots of reports done and efforts made to find out the cost of this and the benefits. I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel. What I want to find out is: is this a decision to save $245,000 and a couple of positions? What’s driving this decision? I’d like to ask the Minister that question.

Mr. Speaker, I want to follow up on my colleague Mr. Krutko’s questioning on BIP. I’m unsure, though, whether I should ask the Minister responsible for the BIP or if I should ask Minister McLeod. I guess for today’s sake I could ask Minister Michael McLeod. If the government has made this decision to move forward on the application on capital projects, I’m wondering when that will be effective, if the Minister could answer that question for me.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In Mr. Hawkins’ questions to the Minister I don’t know if she answered as to how many unfunded positions we have across the health authorities. I’d be interested to know that, especially at Stanton.