Wendy Bisaro

Can I get an explanation as to why this project has been delayed? I don’t remember what year it was scheduled for previously, but I believe it has been put back several years.

I won’t belabour this, but I do need to say to the Minister that I don’t think there’s much to be gathered. We haven’t raised the minimum wage, so I’m not too sure what information he feels needs to be gathered. Any expense we will incur by raising the minimum wage, I suspect we’re going to save in income subsidy and savings in various programs that we have.

I guess I’ll ask the Minister again: is there any possibility that even if we don’t do a comprehensive analysis or evaluation, we can get something to consider in the business plans in November?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the willingness on the part of the Minister to try and push things forward. I think that is something that is absolutely necessary. I’ve totally lost my train of thought. You could just say yes, Mr. Minister. Will you say yes?

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. I guess I’m a little surprised that it’s a necessity for Members to bring these items to the attention of Ministers. I would hope in five years that the minimum wage would be a consideration for at least one department. It’s unfortunate that we have to force the government to consider the plight of some of our people who are living at the lowest level of income.

I’d like to ask the Minister: now that it’s been brought to his attention, when can we expect a change in the minimum wage?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past few months Members have talked a lot about the high cost of living. Gas prices at the pumps have skyrocketed, the cost of home heating fuel has increased dramatically, landlords are increasing rents, power rates are going up and groceries and other commodities are costing us more. But the NWT has not raised its minimum wage since December 23, 2003.

We have been at $8.25 for five years. For comparison purposes I would like to provide a few examples from other Canadian jurisdictions. In April of this year Alberta raised their minimum wage to $8.40. The Yukon...

Thanks for the explanation. I guess I’m just wondering whether or not this particular project is associated with a possible lawsuit from the French school board, which I believe has entered into some sort of court case with GNWT — lobbying, fighting, for extra space in their school.

Okay. I presume it was another school that was leapfrogged ahead of Sissons’ renos. But can the Minister advise why Sissons is in such good shape and can be left for two or three years and what project it was that got moved up?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a couple of questions with regard to the projects that are on page 7-8, but I believe they apply to the numbers we’re talking about.

In the capital plan for 2008–2009 there was a project listed for the Sissons School. I don’t see that in the capital plan for ’09–10. I wonder if I could get an explanation from the Minister as to why it is no longer part of the capital plan as we go forward and if and when it will eventually reappear.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a question. The motion reads that we’re only deferring what’s on pages 4-4 and 4-5, not the whole department. Is that correct?

Thank you to the Minister. I’d like to know if he can give me any kind of an idea of the timeline of when this process will be done and when we will have a revised, renewed and revitalized policy in place.