Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, the Internship Program that we are talking about is actually an opportunity for a department to have a secondary or supernumerary-type position. It is not one of our indeterminate or full-time positions, but it is an opportunity for a student who has no experience but a great education to come into the public service, to develop some skills, consolidate their learning with a one-year placement in the Internship Program. From there they have the criteria to then apply on jobs as they become vacant. So this is an opportunity for people to learn, develop, get some experience, help...

Mr. Speaker, I suppose a disconnect could exist, but I think one of the big challenges that we face is the fact that we had 65 applications and 33 seats. That means at least 50 percent of the people are going to be disappointed or upset.

As of today, there is still a Graduate Placement Program for nurses and social workers. Were graduate nurses, graduate social workers, as well as teachers are guaranteed an offer of employment. The problem with these guarantees, in some peoples’ perception, is that they don’t offer you a job in the location you are from. They don’t offer you a job in the place...

As for the contract awarded to the successful proponent, 55.1 percent of the work is going to be done by local people in Inuvik and 3.2 percent is going to be done by NWT outside of Inuvik. I will confirm to get some additional numbers to the Member, but I can confirm to the Member that there are 50 local Gwich’in residents who started the training required for the Hazmat removal. Of those, 30 local individuals in Inuvik were hired to actually do the Hazmat removal. Most of those remained employed until recently, as the Hazmat removal has actually come to a conclusion to get ready to drop the...

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. We have already taken those steps, lessons learned from the demolition of the Samuel Hearne. We have the original contractor who did the Hazmat assessment of SAMS was the same one who did Samuel Hearne. Since we got back the information on Samuel Hearne, we have actually gone and got a secondary Hazmat assessment done. But in the contracting of this next school and any future projects, we will provide a complete up-to-date Hazmat. We are also going to require contractors who wish to submit to go through the school or go through the area that we are going to do a...

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...

Once again, going back in time into history, the VTA that we used to have in the ‘90s became part of the component of the northern allowance. When we factored in the transportation component, that transportation component works out to about $3,400 in Yellowknife and we’re trying to equalize to those rates. Those are no longer realistic rates. The cost of getting out of Yellowknife has actually decreased in the last number of years as opposed to increased. So if we were to actually base the rates on the cost of getting out of Yellowknife, it would be a drop, and that hasn’t been negotiated.

I...