Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is about the Department of Education, Culture and Employment proposal for minimum wage adjustment, specifically to the committee that has been established by the Minister to review the NWT minimum wage.

Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Speaker. I’m very glad the Minister sees the need for a regular review for the minimum wage, but I can’t agree with the Minister’s suggestion to strike a committee to review and set regulations.

I feel it’s overly bureaucratic and, quite simply, unnecessary. I have concerns with both the makeup of the committee and the length of...

I guess I also don’t want the Minister to presuppose, but I was hoping I could get a few examples of the sorts of things that might be in a Community Safety Strategy.

I’d like to know from the Minister, in terms of implementation within each and every community, is this going to be an initiative or a strategy that is going to require a certain amount of funding? Is it going to be a request within the budget for funding for community safety strategies?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Justice and I want to follow up on his statement from today about a Community Safety Strategy.

I was really pleased to see, and I totally agree with the Minister’s statement, that the people of the Northwest Territories know their needs and priorities, and communities should take the lead on determining how to address issues. I think that this is going to be a great initiative and I just would like to ask the Minister some questions about getting a little further information about this particular strategy and what it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak again about the Aurora College housing policy. About a year ago I stated in this House that I believe the Aurora College housing policy is discriminatory. Nothing has changed in the 12 months since I made that statement. I still believe this policy to be discriminatory and I believe it is a human rights issue. Why do I believe it’s discriminatory? There are a few reasons.

Unlike other learning institutions across Canada where students are treated on a first-come, first-served basis, the Aurora College policy is written to specifically exclude local...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move we report progress.

---Carried

I guess I’m wondering why this is for one community only. Is this equipment going to be available in other communities as well? Thank you.

Thanks, Madam Chair, and thanks to Mr. Guy for that explanation. My next question was whether or not the P3 investigation would further hold up the project. I am really glad to hear we are doing two things at once. I imagine many people in the public don’t think the government can do that. I am very glad that we can.

That is all I have, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to add my voice to the comments that have already been made by Mr. Bromley and Mr. Dolynny. I, too, have been waiting for some comprehensive renovations at Stanton and we’re still waiting, so I just want to add my voice of discontent to those of my colleagues’.

I have one question with regard to the planning study. As advised, this was a $5 million budget and we are carrying over almost $2.2 million, which suggests that it’s getting there. It’s maybe 60 percent done. But I’d like to know from the Minister when this planning study is expected to be finished...

He mentioned three communities, and there’s one mentioned in a statement and I would be interested in knowing the other two.

My last question to the Minister goes to how a community can get a Community Safety Strategy. If my community, for instance, wishes to have a Community Safety Strategy, what steps does my community or I have to take to ensure my community gets on to the list to get a Community Safety Strategy? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that explanation. I guess I would like to know if the Minister can tell us at this point – I recognize that it’s a framework – what sort of content is going to be within each individual community strategy. What sorts of activities are you anticipating the community would undertake? What sorts of particular initiatives or what services would a program require to set up their Community Safety Strategy?