Jane Groenewegen

Mr. Speaker, we’re all aware in this House of some of the pressures that have been on the resources and the capacity that we have to draft new legislation and get it enacted. I’d like to ask the Minister if all the consultation and everything has already happened that would allow this legislation to go forward and if it will be given priority status.

Mr. Speaker, as we are all aware, there are a number of issues which impact on our ability as a territory to attract and retain physicians for our communities. There is competition for doctors’ services both at the national and international levels. This means we have to be realistic in wages that we pay doctors and offer the same incentives and inducements that other jurisdictions provide.

For the most part we are competitive. We can promote the positive lifestyle and virtues of living in smaller communities all we want, but if doctors can easily make more money in another jurisdiction, we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to raise a point of privilege.

Mr. Chair, the committee today would like to continue on with the ’07–08 Main Estimates of the NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Premier if there is any reasoning why, in his mind or that he knows of, it would have been a practice of this government for many years not to have Ministers use this House as a forum to promote the interests of their own personal constituencies.

Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier. I would like to ask the Premier if he provides any guidance or direction with respect to Ministers’ conduct in this House.

To the issue of this being given some kind of a priority here, we cannot afford to lose any more professionals out of our community. As I said, I believe that the lack of this legislation is something that has affected Hay River just this past week in a very detrimental way. What kind of time frame could we be looking at to have this legislation in place and approved in this House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement today, we are probably the only jurisdiction in Canada that does not have legislation enabling professionals to become incorporated. I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice if this type of legislation is forthcoming in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last Friday your Committee of the Whole considered a motion to delete funding from the Department of Justice for planning towards the renovation of the Territorial Women’s Correctional Centre in Fort Smith. In a very unusual step a Minister other than the Minister responsible for the department whose estimates were before the committee spoke to the motion. Mr. Miltenberger is the Member for Thebacha, which includes the community of Fort Smith.

In speaking to the motion, the Member made the following remarks, and I quote from the unedited Hansard of May 30, 2008: “And as...

Just one further clarification. So these two positions will be coming up sometime this summer, but how long are the people who are affected employees…?How long does that priority staff retention policy apply to them? At what point does somebody say, “The date has come and gone. There were no positions, and therefore there are no more options for that”? When an affected employee has been notified, how long does that apply for?