Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

So all of the preliminary analysis was based on one model and all of the serious analysis that we’re asking about is going to happen in the next seven weeks. Mr. Speaker, I have to ask this Minister why would you launch a plan or a model or a scenario with none of that stuff having been done? This whole initiative should be dubbed failure to launch, because, yet again, another ill-conceived, ill-prepared idea thrown out there into the public. Why wasn’t the research done in advance before putting this out? Thank you.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, part of this approach has also been premised on the theory that it’s kind of a one-stop window for people who come in contact with government through their need for housing, education or health. You know that basically we’re serving those three agencies, or those three departments are serving the same clients. Mr. Speaker, I think that is another ill-conceived premise. I would like to know from the analysis that the Minister and his committee has done how many people are actually in that category. Because you know, for myself, I don’t have a housing issue, I don’t have an...

I’d like to table page 12 of February 6, 2009, Yellowknifer specifically highlighting a quote from Premier Floyd Roland saying, “Premier Floyd Roland said the motion is a personal attack. Their shadow Cabinet must now be thinking they are ready to take over real roles.”

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank everybody who participated in this debate on this motion today, both Members on this side of the House, and thank you to the Cabinet side for also contributing to this by sharing their thoughts on this motion that’s come before us today.

I want to just wrap up. I don’t want to take an extraordinary amount of time. The Members have very loudly put the concerns that have brought about this motion, this drastic motion, being brought to the floor of the House; as some have indicated, “unprecedented” in this history of this government.

Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS pursuant to subsection 61.(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, the Legislative Assembly chooses a Premier and recommends to the Commissioner the appointment of Members to the Executive Council;

AND WHEREAS pursuant to subsection 61.(2) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, the persons appointed hold office during the pleasure of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS many events have transpired that have eroded the confidence of the general public and Members of this Assembly in the performance of the Premier and Executive...

I am pleased to second this motion that has been brought forward today by Mr. Abernethy. I appreciate the work that he has put into this issue along with other Members and to his analysis of what has happened. It is so thorough that it is difficult to know what to say and to actually add to it. He has pretty much covered all the bases.

Mr. Speaker, just to summarize and let you know what my concerns are about this change to the Supplementary Health Benefits Policy, I have indicated we did feel for several years as a government that it was necessary to do something to assist those families that...

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest again this morning as our Finance Minister was on the radio talking about the blind ambition of particularly myself, political ambition to sit on this side of the House. Mr. Speaker, let me tell the people again of the Northwest Territories that I did sit on the other side of the House at one time. I believe it was two governments ago. In 2000 I sat in this House on the Cabinet side and as a result of some things that occurred, which were highly publicized at the time, this House decided to strike a committee of inquiry which determined that as a result of...

To my colleague Mr. Jackson Lafferty, a very up and coming finding his stride in a difficult environment, but deserves a lot of our respect too. I wished he was a little more hands on and left a little bit less to his staff in terms of his communications. But somebody with absolute promise in the long term. I thought I would never be back in this government again, but I would say keep your eye on Jackson Lafferty from the Tlicho, because he is somebody that will be here for a long time I hope and will do good things for the people of the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

To the Premier, I just...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have brought this motion forward as the chair of the Priorities and Planning committee. I do support the motion and, Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke quite extensively in this Legislature about where I feel the 16th Assembly has got to this way and it is today where the workings of this Assembly seem to be dysfunctional and not in the best interest of the people of the Northwest Territories. There is a great long list of junctures and incidents and workings that could be recited here, but I gave quite a lengthy list of those yesterday. What I would prefer...