David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again I am very happy to be here in the Legislative Assembly representing the constituents of Kam Lake, and I would like to, as well, welcome the newest Member, the Member for Monfwi, Mr. Jackson Lafferty. I’m glad to see that there’s some leadership from the Tlicho region here in the Legislative Assembly today and I look forward to working with Mr. Lafferty and the leadership in implementing the self-government agreement that they have in the Tlicho region.

The issue I want to highlight today is why a local construction company, who happen to be my constituents...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can appreciate the Tlicho self-government and where they want to get in building capacity. I can understand. At the end of the day, the contract was cancelled. That was a legitimate contract/tender process that went out and was cancelled. I would like to ask the Minister what he plans on doing to rectify that situation.

I would also like to -- while I've got the floor, just a quick one -- know what the Housing Corporation is currently doing to try to help the Tlicho Government. Are we looking at giving all the housing dollars over to the Tlicho and letting them...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my questions today to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. It gets back to the statement that I had made earlier. I haven’t got an official response. It has been over three weeks since I have sent an inquiry to his department on what was the just cause for the cancellation of a contract to build two units in Rae. I would like to know why a small company located in my riding is being penalized. They put up the five percent bid bond, they followed all the rules, and they are left with nothing. I would like the...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I spoke of my frustration with the way the government provides information on changes to capital projects to the Members of this Assembly and to its standing committees. I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance today whether he would commit to providing, as part of the background information on the capital acquisition plan, a listing, and that is a complete listing, of all capital projects that have lapsed or have been held over to subsequent years? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Over the course of this short session much of our time has been spent reviewing the fate of the Territorial Treatment Centre. I have to tell you, Madam Speaker, that I am not very impressed with the process used by this government to get us where we are at today.

The Minister of Health and Social Services is presenting the transfer of the Territorial Treatment Centre to Hay River as a fait accompli. Bosco Homes, the contractor, seems to be onside. The only problem are those pesky Yellowknife MLAs who are concerned about whether the children will have access to the...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister how an income support officer makes the determination whether somebody is going to be on a payroll basis or not. The individual I am talking about here walks into the office and has been employed for years and has a certain skill set. How can they pigeonhole people into being payrolled, is what I am trying to say, and who makes that determination? How is that determination made on whether an income support client is payrolled or if they have to submit these monthly report cards?

In this instance, Madam Speaker, if I could, the...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think the Minister of Finance may have his Regular Members mixed up in the quotes that occurred in the local press in regard to support of this initiative. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, I am supportive of decentralization when it makes sense and when this government can show us an actual business case that does make sense. In this regard there was none, there was no consultation. If you want to call consultation us standing up on this side of the House questioning the Minister of Health and Social Services to try to get him to produce a document that...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance where in the Financial Administration Manual, and that’s directive 302, does it say that the government can consult with standing committees and Regular Members of this Legislative Assembly through supplementary appropriations? Where does it say that, Madam Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It was an observation more or less. I do have questions related to that. In saying “circumvent,” in my opinion the government did circumvent the rules that were in place in FAM directive 302. I stand by my comments that they did circumvent those rules. I do have questions for the Minister during question period that will hopefully result in more of an explanation of how this happened. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am having a little bit of difficulty understanding what the reporting cards are for. In the letter that I have, it says if the monthly report card is not returned, income assistance will not be provided. This will mean a delay in receiving your monies. Will the income support clients actually receive their monies, even if they don't submit the report card, or what exactly happened? If the report card is not submitted by a certain time, does the department still issue cheques? Thank you, Madam Speaker.