Robert C. McLeod

Our department is in contact with the employees. They won't be offered a job just because they are an affected employee. They have to actually be qualified for that particular job that they apply for. Our staff is working with those who are affected.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am looking forward to some “Shane” days at the end of this session.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, the quick answer is that affected employees have priority on all new hires, so if there was an opportunity in their home community, again, they do have priority, and that could be taken into consideration.

Mr. Speaker, that depends on when they were hired, how long they have been employed, and where they were hired from.

Mr. Speaker, the decisions we make here in the Legislative Assembly have real impacts on the people of the Northwest Territories. Make no mistake about it; they are watching us to find out what our plans are and how they will be affected. This puts a big responsibility on us to make sure that what we say here is accurate and does not cause any public fear or misconceptions about the government’s plans.

We have a particular responsibility to our staff, Mr. Speaker. We make the decisions here in the Legislative Assembly, but it is the dedicated professionals in the GNWT public service who put our...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000, April 1 to December 31, 2016."

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I can’t support this motion. I see what the intent is, but I think it goes without saying that some of the discussion that is in here -- I was looking at the old Members’ Code of Conduct, the first one, and it should be the most important one that this Assembly can abide by, is hear the voices of our people. Sometimes, we cannot hear the voices of our people over our own talking. Then, the rest of it goes on, and you have all read the Members' Code of Conduct, and I think that it is one that I will continue to support, and some of the ones in the motion, it...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think it's become quite evident in the Chamber today everyone's feelings on family violence, and I share those feelings. I grew up in an era where there was a lot of drinking in the community and I've seen the change in people who have gone through this and how they've turned themselves around, and I can guarantee you that I would put my X beside their name any day. There are some people, I wouldn't give them the time of day. I appreciate the comment from the Member from Deh Cho; I think he manned up to it and took full responsibility, and I've got a lot of respect for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 23, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2017-2018, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I take the Member's concern about the terms of reference, and going before government operations before we actually went out, but we are elected to do the work. We go out and do the work, and we are held accountable by the Members' office for the work that we do. Sometimes we need to get out there and actually get to work right away, instead of holding it up with bringing everything forward to government operations. Having said that, the Member's question was contracts under $5,000, or over $5,000? I do know that the contracts over $5,000 document is tabled once a year, I believe, with all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct: I did commit to providing a formal review. The review is a bit behind schedule right now, and we are looking at providing something to Members in the May-June session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.