Rylund Johnson

I do view this as a tool that ultimately allows many of our public servants, the majority of which are in Yellowknife, to get into our communities to work with Indigenous governments. I believe partnerships could work the other way, where we bring Indigenous governments, employees into the public service. I think we in this House agree that self-government is the future, but we also need to build that agreement and understanding within both bureaucracies. My question for the Minister of Finance is: is she willing to put together something and reach out to our Indigenous governments and make...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate my colleague, the Member for Deh Cho, bringing up the history of this because I think the Affirmative Action Policy is a white elephant. A white elephant is a possession that its maintenance is out of proportion to its usefulness. The Affirmative Action Policy, after decades, has failed to deliver on its promises. Indigenous employment remains at 30 percent. Even P2s, which are unconstitutional according to various reports, have not increased. They remain at 12 percent in the GNWT. I think what's happened is: consecutive GNWT governments have looked at...

Here we are, four and a half years later, we still have a power corporation that has not addressed its underlying financial problems. We still have a board of deputy ministers. No governance review has been conducted. We now, once again, have a new Minister who has been passed the responsibility of completing this work. I believe this Assembly must look into the governance review, must conduct a full review of the Power Corporation, and let's look at some of those underlying problems that means we continue to have an arm's-length corporation that runs a deficit year after year. Thank you...

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to begin by saying I am very happy with our COVID response to date. We have one active case right now, and it was a scary case a couple of weeks ago when we were risking community spread. By all accounts, it looks like our response at our borders has been great to date. We are one of the best jurisdictions in testing. I am very grateful we are getting these staff. I have no issue with the COVID secretariat as a whole. I think it is needed. I do have issues asking the Legislative Assembly to pass the costs projected for the isolation centres when there seems to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that is a pretty expansive list, and I heard support for vulnerable persons in there. I am confident that, if this money is removed in a supplementary today, the smart folks at Health and Social Services and the Department of Finance will find a way to spend it in one of those categories. In regard to the $8 million that is the GNWT contribution, is that required to receive the rest of the funding? Are we under any contribution agreements such that we had to put up that money? I note the Minister mentioned that, if we wanted to give money to municipalities, it was...

No. I am glad to hear that, Mr. Chair. Let's hope Finance can cut that cheque as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was looking for this money in Education, Culture and Employment, but I see some of it is here in Finance, the money to safely reopen NWT schools. I know some of this money came from the Government of Canada. I am very happy to see it. I know many of our school boards are struggling. They don't have the ability to run a deficit or to rack up debt such as we do, so their fiscals are much tighter. I guess my question is: after we approve this, when can we see that money actually get to the school boards, and is it being agreed upon how it will be distributed to the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I received a letter from the mayor saying that is not the case and that they have not included this money in their current budgets. Is that just perhaps because it actually has to be passed by the Legislature, or can I just confirm that our municipalities have this money and I am mistaken, then? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, November 5, 2020, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when the House adjourns on Thursday, November 5, 2020, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February 3, 2021; and further, that at any time prior to February 3, 2021, 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, or at a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Perhaps, can I just speak to how we go and get more RCMP officers under the First Nations Policing Program. Is that a request that Justice has made? Is there a possibility of further federal funding in this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.