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...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 72-17(4), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2013-2014, be now concluded, and that Tabled document 72-17(4) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question with regard to this expenditure. It’s $125,000 for the purchase of equipment for one community with regard to automated beverage containers. Could I get an explanation as to what this project is and why it’s designated for one community only? Thank you.

If we have design work done this fall, what’s the time frame after that? How soon would we go to an RFP or a tender process, and how soon would we expect a contract would be awarded? When would we be able to start construction?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to recommend that we consider Tabled Document 72-17(4), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2013-2014. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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.