Robert Bouchard

I sent that information out when the department sent out the minimum wage, and I got a pretty good response that most people had concerns about it affecting the minimum wage people, the students and those people that are around the minimum wage.

Does this entice businesses to cut back on employment by increasing this minimum wage? Has that been looked at?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Debbie Dechief, one of my constituents. She is a participant in the NWT Campaign School. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I just had some general comments. I had some yesterday. I know some of the detail will be in the different departments.

One of the first comments I have is about the debt. The Minister talked about the debt. I know a couple of years ago we re-evaluated the way we calculate that debt. I know he talked about some of that Power Corporation debt that didn’t used to be there. I wonder if the department has some of the information the way we used to calculate debt. I know the federal government has changed the way we play ball. Can we get some of that information to...

That is exactly my point. I think most people think it’s a good thing to get an increase in wages, obviously, but the minimum wage earners that are there are the students out there, the students that are coming back, the students that are working after school. If we have increased that minimum wage by 25 percent, I am thinking that some of those employers will consider cutting back on those types of positions, so have we looked at that impact?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about his statement today on increasing the minimum wage in the Northwest Territories.

Can the Minister indicate to me, did the department look at the economic impact of increasing this minimum wage?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to make a few comments about the budget. Obviously, there are many things in this budget. Some of the things that we are pleased with is obviously the moving of the territorial parks office to the Hay River area, the $1.5 million in support of the commercial fishery, the housing programs in Hay River, and maybe even a million dollars for the Arctic Winter Games for Hay River or Inuvik. Obviously, we’re happy with no new taxes. I think most people are pleased with that.

We are spending $930 million in social programs, a large amount, but yet we still have a lot...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That was a great Minister’s statement. The Minister didn’t talk about the mine workers who fly in/fly out.

How are we working on them to make sure they come back and work in the Northwest Territories and quit flying over our heads? How do we get them to stay in the Northwest Territories?

I would just like to get clarification on the scheduling of when this would happen and when we would get a report on how that transition will happen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also introduce constituent Jackie Milne, who also, as Jane indicated, is the face of agriculture in the South Slave and working on a lot of exciting projects down there. She’s a go-getter. If we could divide her up into a few more and multiply Jackie in a couple of industries, that’s for sure. She’s a go-getter; she’s enthusiastic.

I’d also like to recognize Tony Whitford, a good friend, as well as Darrell Beaulieu.

I look forward to those questions in the House. The Minister stated in his budget address, the 2,000 people plan.

Can he give us a bit of an update on where that plan is? Ms. Bisaro discussed this as well. Where are we at? We are one year in. Have we made any successes in getting 2,000 more people to live in the Northwest Territories?