Wendy Bisaro

Thanks to the Premier. That’s good. I would like to see that. If a statement is made and a Minister or a Member believes it to be true – Ministers in particular, if it’s a policy commitment – what action takes place on the part of either Cabinet or staff to follow through and ensure that that information is correct or not?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Premier. I would like to follow up on the questions that I addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services yesterday and the concept of policy by commitment. I gave an example yesterday of two statements made in the House by two different Health Ministers referencing a policy which was not written and not part of the Cabinet sanctioned official policy. I would like to know from the Premier, when a Minister makes a commitment in the House, if he could explain to me and explain to Members what kind of weight that carries...

Thanks, Mr. Bromley. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you. So one of the things that, in my mind, gender-based analysis should do is to put a gender-based lens on any policy or any program or service that we may put into place. So we started from what I sort of think of as a zero position and are gradually working our way up and implementing a gender-based analysis lens on everything. Could I get some kind of an evaluation from the department as to where we are at this point? Are we 50 percent of the way there, are we 80 percent of the way there? How is it going in terms of using gender-based analysis in everything we do? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome to the House a new arts group, just a fledgling arts group. Arts Alliance NWT is here. They are a new group that is starting to get going. I don’t believe Brian Collins is here, but I’d like to recognize Brenda Crerar-Lowen, Gerda Hazenberg, Shawna Lampi-Legaree and Constantina Tsetso. Best of luck with your new organization.

Thanks, at least that’s clear. I want to also talk a bit about devolution, and I think the Minister referenced figures in here, or else I saw it in the budget somewhere, but the money for negotiations will be reduced, but we’re also working on implementation for once this agreement has been reached and things are signed off. So it’s a general question in terms of implementation. I know it’s been worked on within this current budget year. So how are things going? Basically, are we going to get everything done? I think the target date is April 1st of 2014. Is everything going to be done by then...

Thanks, committee. Page 9-33, Justice, information item, corrections, active positions. Any questions?

Thanks to the Minister. I do agree; there have definitely been some improvements in terms of the timing of when applications are received, and determined, and money gone out. It was pretty miserable there for a while but it’s been apparently really good in the last year or two. Again, this is just a comment, but I would exhort the department to try and find money to increase this fund. I think even to $500,000 would allow a number of the NGOs who don’t get money to maybe get some. For an NGO $50,000 is a lot of money. It’s peanuts to us but it’s a great deal of money to an NGO. So I would...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the last few weeks, Members have spoken a lot and asked many questions about the GNWT Medical Travel Policy, and I have another unique and special situation that I want to comment on today.

Apparently not, according to the recent experience of a Yellowknife constituent in the elder category. Her health condition required a trip out for treatment. Funding to cover the cost of an escort to travel with her was denied by GNWT health. My question is, should it have been?

Through this experience I’ve learned a whole new term: policy by commitment. MLAs regularly hear...

I don’t understand the answer. Perhaps the Minister can explain.