Wendy Bisaro

Mr. Chairman, thanks to the Minister. So I note two pages in, I think, there is an increase in five positions. Are all five of those positions related to devolution or not? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I note a pretty large increase in compensation and benefits under services to government. Could I get a bit of an understanding as to what we are adding here?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to continue with Tabled Document 22-17(5), NWT Main Estimates 2014-2015. We would like to start the Department of Justice and, time permitting, Industry, Tourism and Investment and perhaps Finance. Thank you.

It’s nice to know that the Minister and I are on the same page. My next question was going to suggest that the Minister look at our neighbour to the west, the Yukon, who have some excellent information on-line. They have plain language information for residents. They have a fact sheet on estate planning, which is one of the resources that they have there and I think that’s something that we certainly could do. So I appreciate that the Minister has indicated that this is something we can do.

Is the Minister making a commitment to do some of that work and to provide some of these resources? Can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Minister of Justice. I’d like to follow up on my statement and ask him a few questions about whether or not we can do something about providing will and estate planning for our residents. I know it will take some time to establish a program, but in the meantime there are certainly some tools that are available to our residents, or could be available to help our residents.

I refer the Minister to the GNWT public trustee web page. It’s under the Department of Justice and it states: “The public trustee is independent from the Department of...

Mr. Chair, I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Seeing the clock, I move that we report progress.

Thanks to the Minister. So I heard the Minister say there’s not going to be an ask for more money for anti-poverty in the ‘14-15 year. You can correct me if my understanding is incorrect.

I wanted to ask a question – I think it belongs here – under the directorate. I don’t remember if it was last year or if it was a little further back than that, but my understanding is we now have I’m going to call it – it came from the French secretariat, I believe – a French position within the Department of Health and Social Services. I believe it was a pilot. I would just like to know from the Minister if...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I just have one question here. During the 16th I know the Minister was well aware and the deputy minister, as well, well aware that we had a protracted investigation into supplementary health benefits and potentially looking at charging residents a certain amount to access our supplementary health programs.

I’ve certainly heard from some of my constituents, maybe not a lot of them, but I’ve certainly heard from constituents that it’s time that we start not means testing necessarily but charging a small fee for the extra services that we provide as a government.

I’d like to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We wish to continue with Tabled Document 22-17(5), the Main Estimates for 2014-15, with the Department of Health and Social Services.