Sandy Lee

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...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, the Standing Committee on Social Programs conducted its public review of Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act, on December 9, 2004. The committee would like to thank the Minister and his staff for presenting the bill. Following the committee's review, a motion was carried to report Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act, to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the committee's opening comments on Bill 18. Individual Members may have additional questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s answers, but over the years I’ve learned to listen to the Minister’s answers very carefully and in listening to him, I’m not sure if there was any indication there, strong enough anyway. The Minister is suggesting that the government is working with them, but I don’t have as strong an indication as I would like for the Minister’s support in this project. Could the Minister indicate whether he supports the agency’s proposal? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Could I just ask the Minister with the centralization of the human resource functions, do you foresee this section being changed in any way and how?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it’s with regard to a lack of youth shelter that can remain open after midnight. Mr. Speaker, I was first informed about this need over the holidays at Christmastime, and I did write to the Minister, but I have not heard back from him. So I would like to ask the Minister about what programs there are available under his guidance that could benefit those between 15 and 18 who find themselves homeless after midnight on any given day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could I just ask the Minister what the time frame is that we are working with with the negotiations that the government is under now? What is the time frame? I think the negotiations started before the current contract has ended, so I just wanted to have that information. Thank you.