Sandy Lee

Thank you. I can appreciate that, because the regionalization/centralization plan is still at an initial stage. To me, this is a very important part of the whole picture. I would like to know from the Minister if he is planning on bringing to us a more comprehensive plan about how these two functions are going to be combined and interconnected more. Maybe if he could bring that by the business plan session this fall. I would like to see some really concrete plans on some movements that the government could make on a management and training program, or a succession planning program. Right...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, it is also my understanding that the SideDoor is in the process of trying to get some assistance from the department. One of the issues that this group will need help with, aside from some funding, which I understand that this is not going to be something that’s expected of the government to carry 100 percent. I think there are interest partners, there might be some money with the Homelessness Coalition and other crime prevention funding and such, but I think there’s a key role for this government to play. So there are funding issues that we would like the...

Indoor gym.

Running the clock.

Supplementary To Question 384-15(3): State Of Winter Roads In The Sahtu Region

That’s the number one rule. If you ask a general question, you are going to get a general answer. Sorry, I can’t really get into detail on this. Let me just move to before your agreement with the NWT Medical Association with doctors and contractors. That’s a four-year agreement. The GNWT is now under negotiation for the UNW contract, which includes the nurses and other health care professionals. I am not sure if the Minister responsible for the FMBS can answer this, but earlier today in answering questions about the lack of family doctors for some people who cannot get a family doctor, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about the need for a youth shelter in Yellowknife; a place where youth can go, not just during the day and early evenings, but through the night if necessary, a place where they can take shelter from the elements and be safe from the influences of alcohol and drugs and other negative sides of night life.

Mr. Speaker, I know it is hard to accept, but the fact of the matter is that we do have youth in our community, especially on weekends, who have no place to go because, for many of them, their home is not what a home should be....

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask the Minister questions about the health care job evaluations that have been going on. The Minister’s opening statement indicated in the paragraph about that section…I am not sure whether or not he says the evaluations have been completed because we know that there have been some disagreements or some disputes about the evaluations. There were quite a few employees who were not happy with the results of the evaluations. Could I get the Minister to update us on where we are at with that? Thank you.

Thank you. I don't think I was saying that in terms of getting the producers to take a more active role in this whole state of affairs. I didn't include in that the option of the producers setting up their own cutting and polishing facility. What I'm saying is given where we are, we have a company that we have poured millions into in receivership. The buyer we thought was the one, has backed out. We know that the secondary diamond industry around the world is not that big. The ministry even admitted that the news had spread. So I don't know if the world diamond industry sees this is as...

Thank you. I think this is an important area in that we do live in a computer age and we need to have adequate technology and computer systems to do our work. I have just been noticing that I’m not sure if the government is keeping up to date with the upgrading of programs and such. I can tell you that I have, I think, a more smooth, better and faster-running system in my home and I don’t think I have a state-of-the-art system there either. It’s just got me worrying that the government has for too many years now not been investing money that’s necessary to keep with the program. I’m not...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don’t have general comments per se, but I do have some questions on the Minister’s opening comments and the first thing has to do with the PeopleSoft program. The Minister indicates that the department has completed and implemented the PeopleSoft system upgrade to version 8.3. Now, I’ve heard about the PeopleSoft program for many years and I’m not really a computer person so I don’t really pay much attention to it, but I’m beginning to worry about the system we have, especially in light of the many problems we have been having internally. I don’t know if it is...