David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I find it a little hard to believe that MACA doesn’t know the capacity in each and every one of our communities. That is their mandate. They have to know what’s going on there. I know the government, years ago, used to publish community profiles, a booklet, when the Northwest Territories included Nunavut. It published a yearly book on community profiles and it was quite detailed. I am not sure if we are still doing that type of work. From time to time, when we look at communities, somebody gives us something. It’s called community profile and it’s got some...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I had a few questions regarding funding for two regional resource development impact advisors. It was a few years back where the two positions came in and I believe they came in through supplementary appropriation as well. They were to be sunset after two years. I guess we are reaching the end of the two-year period. We had hired these two individuals to work in the regions on resource development impacts. We don’t have a pipeline yet. So the first question I would have is what did these two individuals do for the past two years and how do we measure performance for...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the Minister for that. I’m not here today to demoralize anybody. What I’m here to do is my job and ask questions. I hear also from the front-line workers where there’s not enough money and resources, especially for the NGOs. So if we are going to spend $75,000 on a survey and then we’ve got other NGOs saying we’re not doing enough for them, there has to be a balance somewhere and I think we do have to ask some questions. The list of organizations that the Premier had mentioned that were going to be part of this survey, I’m wondering if there’s going to be any...

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the Minister of Finance for that explanation. The conference on family violence, I guess it’s nice to give the providers of that service from around the territory an opportunity to get together to share information and coordinate efforts and things like that. It is $120,000. That’s something I can live with, Madam Chair.

The survey, though, is another story. I know the Premier mentioned earlier about baseline data. I mean I’m not an expert in this field by any stretch, Madam Chair, but if you want baseline data, I don’t think you need to look any further...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Keeping with the business processes, I would like the Minister to explain to me how it is that an employee who works at HR who has been an employee of the government for 20 years, 20-plus years, and has had glowing performance reviews all through that 20-year history in the Northwest Territories, all of a sudden finds himself on the outs at HR and is being rushed out the door. I would like to explain how we have employees who work for us for 20 years and all of a sudden they are discarded. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Human Resources. I would first like to start off by saying thank you for allowing me to have a look at the Hackett report that was done last year. I have never held $500,000 in my hands before, so it was quite amazing to know what $500,000 feels like. Thank you, Mr. Minister.

---Laughter

I want to ask the Minister today of the recommendations that were contained in that report that was done over a year ago. I would like the Minister to provide us with a status of where those recommendations are and how they are being proceeded...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if I can get a commitment from the Minister today to come back to committee to discuss in further detail the recommendations that are outlined in the Hackett report and how it is we are moving forward with the recommendations that are in that report, so that we can deliver a more streamlined, efficient Human Resource service for our employees and the public. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if you look on the Government of the Northwest Territories website, go to the phone directory and have a look at Human Resources, you see no fewer than six managers managing six people. They each manage one person in the benefits section. I would like the Minister to explain to me how it’s a proper business process to allow the department to have six managers managing six people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to speak today about nurses and draw attention to the fact that this week is National Nursing Week across Canada. Tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, May 12th, is Florence Nightingale’s birthday. In 1971, the International Council of Nurses declared May 12th International Nurses Day. In 1985, the council passed a resolution to begin negotiations with the federal government to explore having the week including May 12th proclaimed as National Nurses Week. A few months later, in recognition of the dedication and achievements of the nursing profession, the Minister...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do have a few opening comments or general comments on Supplementary Appropriation, No. 1 that’s before us today. I won’t ask any questions, I’ll wait for the detail, but I just wanted to highlight a few areas of concern for me and it’s nothing new; it won’t come as anything new to the Minister. He’s heard me say it many times before. I think some of the Ministers are paying attention over there. So, position growth in the public service. Again, in this supplementary appropriation there are new positions. There’s positions that are being refunded. There’s two with MACA...