Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak in favour of the National Childcare Program. Mr. Speaker, I am very excited about the debate going on across the country that has put this issue on top of the national agenda. This is long overdue, and I strongly urge the federal government and all provincial and territorial governments, including this government, to apply all of their energy and commitment necessary to make this happen once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, a recent survey has shown that, in Canada, more than 50 percent of children are taken care of by a person or...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the Minister’s opening statement, I have another question on the topic of insurance. The Minister’s statement speaks of increased funding of $530,000 for increased insurance cost. My question is not specific to that issue, but insurance in general. The AOC committee report spoke about the collaborative effort going on between the AOC members and the Minister to try to look at the rising cost of insurance and the whole general topic that I think we will be discussing more. My question to the Minister is whether or not there are any programs in the government...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to just say a few things about the budgeting process in general. It’s not specifically to the Department of Finance, but it is relevant in that it is the department that puts the estimates together. First of all, I want to thank the Minister for breaking down the budget books into different categories under other expenses. I appreciate that the department and the Minister took the advice of the Members. I guess the government didn’t want to be asked on each item all over again like the way we did last time. Nevertheless, I do really appreciate the changes...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to make a very short comment on this amendment. I will not be supporting this amendment, Mr. Speaker, for two reasons. The first one is that it basically does away with the intent of the motion. So it is a very strong amendment and if the Members support the amendment, basically they could vote against the first one. The reason why I think that is more preferable than supporting this amendment is it does away with the work of the Striking Committee, which I think is a very important element to consider, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To put it another way, does the review of the Liquor Act that is currently underway, that the Minister has mentioned in his opening statement, does that review include reviewing the role and mandate of the Liquor Commission as it currently exists? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the questions and answers on this topic suggest already, there are so many things about this program and this debate that we need to know and talk about. I’d like to know from the Minister if you could advise us as to who is advising him about what the GNWT’s position is. Has he done consultation with the stakeholders out there? This has been pretty quiet until he snuck up in the national media and he went to Vancouver over the weekend. Where is he getting his position from? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Just to shed some light on this issue and why the committee members felt that it was important to make this motion, is that during the discussions we were informed that in some communities people do not know why people knock on the door and they’re asking who lives in your house and who you are and such. This is private information and strangers’ questions that might be construed in the wrong way and we have to be sensitive to community concerns, and the people in our communities who are not always trusting of outsiders coming in to ask questions about private information. We felt...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe that I disagree with the elements of what the Minister has said. I do believe that this is a debate larger than just day care, as in babysitting or day care units. I am glad that the federal government and provincial governments are engaged in bigger discussions overall about what we as a society and the government is prepared to do in terms of taking care of our children and how much funding and the role that the government can play. I think that the Quebec model is an example that we should try to follow to the extent as much as possible.

I...

Could I just ask a question on how many people are employed by the government who actually look at making sure that people pay taxes? I don’t know what they are called; inspectors. How many people are actually employed full time to make sure that employers pay the taxes that they are supposed to?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are so many questions to this and the details to work out and the debates to have, perhaps the Minister could make a statement in the House about where the government’s position is. But in the interim, could I get the information from the Minister as to whether we’re looking at a nationally run child day care program, or are we looking at tax benefits or are we looking at 50/50 funding? Putting aside the dollar commitments that the federal government is willing to give, because we do hear numbers flowing around, what is this government’s position...