Glen Abernethy

The Member, in his opening statement, made reference to the training program that he went through, and the government used to have a number of training programs from entry-level and officer-level positions. We don’t have that per se today, but it is one of the things we’re looking at through the Regional Recruitment Plan. The Regional Recruitment Plan will be put in front of committee in short order here. One of the things that we’re talking about in that particular plan is on-the-job training programs that will help individuals obtain employment with the Government of the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, for the Internship Program, the northern students are given priority as outlined in the Affirmative Action Policy, because the internship programs are just for returning students so it is offered to them only. Summer Student Employment, the program is in place to help summer students get jobs for the summer months. Once again, the Affirmative Action Policy applies. For graduate placement for nurses and social workers as well as teachers, once again affirmative action applies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 18, Apology Act, be read for the second time.

This bill provides that an apology made by or on behalf of a person in relation to any civil matter does not constitute an admission of fault or liability by the person or a confirmation of a cause of action in relation to the matter, and does not affect the insurance coverage available to the person making the apology. The bill also provides an apology is not admissible in any judicial or quasi-judicial civil proceeding and may not be considered or referred to in relation to fault or...

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Justices of the Peace Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Justices of the Peace Act to provide justices of the peace with protection from civil liability so long as they do not act maliciously and without reasonable and probable cause. The bill also includes a number of non-substantive amendments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, late last fall I met with my Justice counterparts in Regina. One of the items that we addressed was this very issue. We talked about how we could do more to help support those who have had their intimate photos shared on social media sources without their consent.

While the Internet has brought positive emotional, economic and social benefits to society, it also provides some users with a weapon to inflict real harm. We have seen those results in several heartbreaking cases over this past year. Typically, the destructive actions start with someone sharing intimate photos...

Mr. Speaker, it varies from year to year, based on which departments submit applications for internship positions. Not all of them are in Yellowknife, but they vary from year to year so it could be different next year from this year, depending on where the departments decide or are interested in actually setting them up. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the one program that I think the Member may be referring to is the Graduate Intern Program, which is a program that is administered by the Department of Human Resources. Our problem is not that we aren’t administering the program correctly; the problem is that there are limited funds. This year, by way of example, we had 65 applications for 33 positions. So given that there is a huge number of students who want support from the program and a limited number of seats and/or funding, we are not able to hire every student into an internship program every year.

When it comes to...

Mr. Speaker, originally this project was slated for completion for March 31, 2013, but as the Member knows, because he lives in Inuvik and he has seen the school which is still standing, we didn’t finish on March 31, 2013. The new date is June 20, 2013. That is when we expect the school to be done, the site to be open.

The reason it was delayed is because ceiling tiles and fume hoods not identified in the original Hazmat were identified during Hazmat deconstruction. There is asbestos in the drywall that wasn’t identified in the original Hazmat assessment and mudded pipe joints which contain...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The original cost, or the value of that contract, was $1.25 million. Since that contract was awarded, there have been three change orders, one for $741,000, one for $373,000, and one for $86,000, which brings the current contract value up to $2.451 million. The costs are related to the removal of asbestos and asbestos-contaminated material discovered during the demolition, which was not included in the original Hazmat assessment completed by a northern consulting firm prior to tender. In this case, anybody who bid on that contract would have been bidding based on that...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 18, Apology Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.