Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a couple of questions here. I’d like to at the outset, though, to say that I was very pleased to see that three negotiations which were entered into in the last several months were settled in short order and that basically everybody on both sides is happy. Kudos to the department for that.

A couple of questions with regard to, well, I’ll start with the UNW agreement and the statement that there will be interim whistle-blower phrasing, I guess, for lack of a better way of putting it. I’d like to know from the Minister or from the department when they expect that...

No. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I think that covers it. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to the Minister for the response. I’m not sure again if this is the right place. I could be directed to the right section if I’m out of line here. I wanted to ask a question with regard to the role of Human Resources in our devolution negotiations and implementation. I believe that there is an employee within Aboriginal Affairs who is working on human resource matters. Is there any money within this budget for the Department of Human Resources that is going to the devolution work that we’re currently doing as a government?

To the question of liability, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that the Minister is going to do something, that he’s going to talk to board chairs. But I think this goes beyond board chairs and I think this is something the department could do directly with the schools. I’d like to ask the Minister when I could expect him to provide some concrete action… Sorry. When he could report to me that there’s been some concrete action on developing policies in all our schools.

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the Minister and his staff. I’m okay with the costs that have been outlined in general. I was just wondering which buildings, particularly the new school in Inuvik, and Mr. Lewis has advised that that’s included in this budget, so that’s a good thing. I don’t need that list. Maybe, Mr. Chair, you can confirm whether or not other Members wish to see that list, but I’m okay without receiving more information at this point.

I did want to ask a question, though. The description of asset management talks about inspection services. I know that it is certainly...

One of the other things that was in the letter that I received in March, further to my February questions, was that the Department of Education, within negotiations with the NWT Teachers’ Association, would bring this issue to the table. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not, now that the negotiations have been concluded with the NWTTA, there was any decision made during negotiations whether or not there is an implementation plan as he’s referenced in his letter?

Yes. From 1,400 to 300, that’s a good thing. My other question has to do with other expenses the travel has been reduced significantly from $103,000 down to $15,000. Was this an anomaly in 2011-2012? I note that in 2010-2011 it was only $20,000 as well. Why the difference? Why the huge reduction?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister, I’m glad he’s going to get back to me with information. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit – although there are no plans at this point – to developing some plans to look into the issue of rent controls, and as I mentioned in my statement, find a solution other than rent controls if rent controls isn’t the way to go.