Glen Abernethy

Any other questions? Still on page 21, Health and Social Services, Health Services Programs, not previously authorized: $2,729,000.

Health and Social Services, Capital Investment Expenditures, Health Services Programs, $2,729,000 approved.

The Total Department, not previously authorized: $1,992,000.

Total Department, $1,992,000 approved.

Does the committee agree that Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2007-2008, is ready for third reading?

Total Department, not previously authorized: $3,172,000.

Total Department, $3,172,000 approved.

Still on page 16, Education, Culture and Employment, Advanced Education and Careers, not previously authorized: $194,000.

Advanced Education and Careers, $194,000 approved.

Page 2, the Preamble.

Preamble approved.

Moving on to page 20, Municipal and Community Affairs, Regional Operations, not previously authorized: $3,172,000.

I happily acknowledge that the government is doing a lot for the Arctic Winter Games and that the commitments they’ve made are good commitments, but I come back to that two-hour block. You’re asking people to take lieu and you’re asking people to take annual. This volunteering is good for the community; it’s good for the public service. In fact, it can almost be viewed as a public service.

You talked about the fact that they’ve already got the 2,500 volunteers. Yes, but now they’re trying to schedule them. It’s proving to be quite difficult as people don’t want to work certain blocks because...

Mr. Speaker, the 2008 Arctic Winter Games are rapidly approaching. We have roughly three weeks before athletes begin to descend upon Yellowknife and the N.W.T. By all accounts these games are going to be huge and will be good for the city of Yellowknife and the N.W.T. as a whole.

To make these games a success, it’s going to take a significant amount of time and effort from all parties: the Arctic Winter Games staff, the city of Yellowknife, the G.N.W.T., the many sponsors and, most importantly, the volunteers. In fact, to run the games approximately 2,500 volunteers will be required.

To ensure...

In 1998, when the Games were last here, we had similar policies in place and the government’s decision at that time was, “Let the staff have the two hours.” I'm wondering why, several years later, we now look at the same or very similar policies and we're rigidly applying them. We are not seeing the value in having our staff work on the Games. We are not seeing the value in giving them the time they need without taking credit away from them. We're saying, “Yeah, do it, it’s great, but you have to use your own time,” whereas in the past, we've stood up for employees and given them the time they...