Jane Groenewegen

Do Members agree that concludes consideration of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment capital?

Agreed. Thank you. On page 16, labour development and standards, infrastructure investments, $1.672 million.

I’ll ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses to the table.

Minister Lafferty, for the record, could you please introduce your witnesses.

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. When we recessed yesterday, we were on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. I’d like to ask Minister Lafferty if he would like to bring witnesses into the Chamber. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Does the committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could that also include provision for a patient to designate someone other than themselves as a decision-maker to work with the health care providers to make sure that list is comprehensive? So if the patients themselves are not capable of providing that information, if they could be asked to confirm a designated decision-maker who could provide that list for the patient?

For the benefit of patients and patient’s families, then, is there a protocol or any requirement on the part of people in admitting or people who are in administration on the front desk of a health care facility to advise a patient or a patient’s family that this list needs to be articulated and held by the people who might be in a position to give out information on that patient’s condition?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two Pages from Hay River South who have been working in the Chamber for us all week. They are two fine gentlemen, Ethan Schofield and Matthew Lafferty. Say hello to them if you get a chance to. Thank you.

I’d like to thank Minister Lafferty and his witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have stated goals and initiatives of this government. For example, educating people. To that end, we boast the best SFA, student financial assistance, system in the country.

We have a stated goal of increasing the population of the NWT by 2,000 people. These are well-known goals and strategies that we work and expend resources to advance. However, every day we hear of anomalies, contradictions and decisions based on policy that fly in the face of these goals. I believe in rules and transparencies, but sometimes our policies lack discretion and common sense in applying...