Yellowknife Centre

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 64)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. I would like to ask him when he is planning to table the Manufacturing Strategy. Mahsi.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 64)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess the only thing that I find surprising is that money is allocated for one purpose and used for another. That doesn't seem to be sound business practice, even for an arm's-length organization. I am wondering why that is. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 64)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My questions relate to page 41, starting with early childhood development and learning. I notice that there is an $800,000 decrease from the revised estimates for the current fiscal year compared to the next fiscal year. I am wondering if the Minister can tell us why funding in this area has gone down. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 64)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I get that the money is still here. I just am questioning, as a budgeting practice, budgeting for a program that doesn't exist. There is X amount of money for these instructors that is not being taken up. The effect of that is there is this money dedicated to a program that no longer exists. I don't understand why the Minister is retaining this money. The whole point of this exercise was for Aurora College to save money. The staff are all gone; there is the possibility of saving the money, and yet, the money is still here for a program that, at this point, doesn't have a...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 63)

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. There were some things there that I had not heard before. When can we expect, then, a more concerted effort to take those findings and make them into a more comprehensive public awareness campaign?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 63)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My statement today was about responding to family violence, but my questions are for the Minister of Justice about preventing it. In her most recent report, the chief coroner recommended that there be a long-term sustained public awareness program on family and domestic violence available in all communities. I would like to ask the Minister: what action has been taken on the coroner's recommendation? Mahsi.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 63)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again to the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, there is no increase in the Justice budget for the next fiscal year in the line " Protection Against Family Violence." I am wondering at what point this initiative the Minister has spoken of will be operationalized in terms of assigning spending to it. Thank you.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 63)

Just to clarify, the coroner's report that I am speaking about is the most recent one, dated 2017. These recommendations come from investigations into two domestic homicides that happened in the reporting period. The coroner's report stresses that public education is needed to raise awareness about the signs of abuse in communities so that people who are close to those who are at risk or who are abusive can intervene. My question again is: what action has been taken on this recommendation?

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 63)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The government is considering amending its Employment Standards Act. A survey on the proposed changes closed about a month ago. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is promising a report on what they heard soon, and I am looking forward to hearing that the changes to the act will include leave for workers who have experienced domestic violence.

Mr. Speaker, domestic violence leave is a period of approved absence from work. Employers covered by the Employment Standards Act would make the time available to employees. Employees could use the time to seek medical...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 3rd Session (day 63)

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that, notwithstanding rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 28, 2019, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, March 5, 2019; and further, that at any time prior to March 5, 2019, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has...