Michael Miltenberger

The issue of the fire budget is one that I agree with the Member has come up on a regular basis. As we’ve discussed in the past, there was a decision made to fund it at the lower level and have them come back once they could demonstrate and had some idea of what the costs were going to be. There were some good suggestions from committee that we’ve made note of. For example, using a 10-year running average is one possible way to look at a more realistic fire budget. We’ll consider all those as we look at the upcoming budget year.

With regard to the health and social services system, once again I...

Mr. Chairman, the negotiator fee is going to be when there is a negotiator decided on that will represent the Aboriginal government, that will help offset... That will be the fee to help cover the costs of that particular individual. The broader amount of $175,000 tied into working with the Aboriginal committees and groups will pay for those costs. So that negotiator fee will be specific. We anticipate having probably a three member with a lead negotiator and Aboriginal representative at the table along with the GNWT representative that’s going to be very focused and highly skilled, so that’s...

I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2011-2012. This document outlines an increase of $14.310 million in operations expenditures for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

The major items included in the supplementary estimates are:

$6.012 million for a special warrant approved on June 29, 2011, for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to fund the shortfall for forest fire suppression due to a severe forest fire season in 2011.

$2.296 million for the Department of Executive to support transition and implementation activities related to the Devolution...

Two things: the Member and I have discussed this and, as well, with the deputies, and as far as I understand, there is money there for a conference to be held in the Member’s constituency and the region. The detail has not ever been worked out in terms of having the workshop. It’s the one region that we have yet to have the workshop. We’ve talked about it for some time.

I agree with the Member about the concerns out of the Peel watershed. In fact, we’ve had correspondence with the Yukon Minister indicating that we think it’s time to look at that agreement that was signed many years ago through...

As I indicated, there is some work being done, and I do thank the Member for all the work that he did pull together. Of equal importance, I believe, and I know that there are very many capable people that I know who are dealing with autism with family members, that I think of equal value would be to find out what kind of supports could be put in place within the resources available to assist them. I know that over the years they’ve done an incredible amount of good work. Just on their own, often with little or no support from government, and they’ve amassed a very, very valuable amount of...

As I committed to the Member when he raised this issue a number of days ago, I would get the latest briefing. The Member has articulated probably the one option, probably the main option, but I will get up to speed on the file and I’ll commit to sit down with the Member and see what possible options there are over and above the current circumstance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of autism, as the Member indicates, is one where there is a concern. There are a significant number of individuals affected. As we plan for our transition into the 17th Assembly, each department, including Health, will be pulling together the list of issues to be considered and priorities to be addressed, and this will be on that list as decisions are made to look at what’s possible with the resources that are available.

There have been studies on this issue over the years that I’m aware of and I’m sure the Member is as well. The challenge of NGOs to offer competitive wages and some of the other benefits like pensions and sick leave. The issue of parity has not been resolved. There is a huge price tag to that.

The issue that the Member is specifically referring to, I’m familiar with that position. There is the whole issue, as well, of the positions that are run through a contribution agreement and what happens with the job descriptions, as opposed to those where they’re formally put in place as indeterminate...

There is a range of training that’s available. Of course, the more detailed the training as you move up the ladder in terms of those qualifications with degrees, psychologists, psychiatrists, those type of things where you’re going to specialize in addictions all require additional work. Depending on the job and the job qualifications, that range will apply, and some are entry level and some are more advanced. They cover that whole range of experience that the Member is referring to.

There has been work on this issue. I’ve as well had some questions. This leads into an area if there’s going to be emergency search and rescue, is that the expectation that nurses or whoever is in the community will leave and fly into other communities. Are they going to be trained to do that kind of extraction? Is it a case of calling in search and rescue from the military?

There are very few places, I think, other than Yellowknife, that have, I think, the benefit of highly skilled folks in this regard. This is an issue that has some considerable perplexity. It’s not just a case of saying, yes...