Great Slave

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Thank you. The list is evolving and we have people coming into positions, people leaving jobs. It changes on a fairly regular basis. We do know that we run about 400 in the Northwest Territories at any given time that we’re trying to staff. How we’re planning to let people know, is we’re looking a little outside the box, we’re not just going to rely on our advertising and communication. We do know in the communities that there are a lot of people who have been going through career development officers and other mechanisms to find opportunities for themselves. So to make this work, we feel it’s...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Thank you. I don’t have the exact vacancy rates for anywhere in the Northwest Territories directly in front of me, but what I can say is that we know at any given time there’s about 380 to 400 vacant positions in the GNWT that we’re trying to staff and fill. Approximately half of those are in Yellowknife and half of those are in communities and regional settings. So about 50/50. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, one of the goals this Assembly set out to achieve almost two years ago is a healthy, educated people free from poverty. To move towards this goal, the Premier committed to the development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy.

In June I had the pleasure of tabling Building on the Strengths of Northerners: A Strategic Framework Toward the Elimination of Poverty in the NWT. This framework provides a roadmap for us to work in collaboration with our partners, to eliminate poverty in our communities.

The development of this document was a joint effort led by a steering committee made up of...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 19, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2013, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Mr. Speaker, one of the things I encourage all staff to do when they know they’re coming up to the end of their employment is obviously to have a discussion with the benefits officer. If they have a discussion with their benefits officer prior to their last day, they can usually streamline the process a little bit so that people know how urgent it is; this person isn’t going to be having a job, they’re going to be going on EI. I would encourage all employees of the GNWT, when they know that they’re coming up to their end date, to talk to their benefits officer so that we can get these dealt...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A record of employment is required after many situations. If an employee has interrupted earnings of over seven days, they are required to be provided with a record of employment. When an employee’s salary falls below 60 percent of their weekly earnings, they are supposed to be provided with a record of employment. When an employee declares bankruptcy, a record of employment is required, and there are a lot of other reasons why a record of employment is required.

The requirement is that a record of employment is provided within five calendar days of the last day of the...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Thank you. Certainly an intriguing idea and if it’s something committee wants us to look at I’m certainly willing to.

Having said that, the Regional Recruitment Program that we’re talking about here is actually a program designed to help people from the communities and the regions obtain employment with the GNWT and it will be a valuable tool as we devolve positions throughout the Northwest Territories because it will help those individuals who feel or may not qualify for jobs. They’ve developed the on-the-job training and skills they need to get jobs, but with respect to Mrs. Groenewegen’s...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that we’re looking at a location for that and I think right now I believe we’re looking at Fort Smith and I think we’ve already got somebody who has been identified as a reasonable and suitable candidate. But I will confirm, for the Member, that information. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 4th Session (day 39)

I am pleased to be here today to speak about Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its review of this bill.

The purpose of the Protection Against Family Violence Act is to provide emergency and long-term protection for victims of family violence. The act also allows emergency access to assist a person who may be the subject of family violence.

In 2011 an evaluation examined the first five years of the act’s operation, to determine how the legislation was meeting its goals. The recommendations from...