Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Justice some questions on these inmate concerns and also correctional concerns for the facility. On October 12th, the Minister sent the honourable Members of this House an e-mail that indicated the inmate concerns were inaccurate. A week later, the deputy minister of the Department of Justice went into the press and confirmed that some of these concerns were, in fact, accurate. I want to ask the Minister about GED Program. He has both told us that the Adult Education Program is present and inmates can access it. His department has...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has recently come to light through an unprecedented letter-writing campaign by the inmates of the North Slave Correctional Complex that things are very wrong with our correctional system. A number of my honourable colleagues have spoken about this already today, and I think it is important we shed light on this because it is an area of public interest. The foundation of our justice system has always been based on rehabilitation and giving Northerners a second chance after they take responsibility for their actions. However, inmates are now telling us it...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move the consideration of Tabled Document 1-18(3), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2017-2018, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 1-18(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On this specific bridge project, I know that this is an area of interest for a number of businesses, northern-owned and operated businesses in my riding. I'm interested to know if this future project will have opportunities for local procurement of northern businesses before I place my confidence and my vote in this appropriation, that that is something that is possible for the future bridge project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, we have the best public servants in the world and the best correctional officers in the world. They have great relationships with the inmates. It is when the situation goes wrong that you need to prepare for contingencies. I will leave that with the Minister and ask my final question: I have heard reports that officers are being sent home on the basis of the tension level of the building.

Essentially, managers are being told to eyeball the building and judge whether or not it is a tense night or tense evening or tense day and sending people home early to cut back...

I agree with the Minister. We have the best public servants in Canada, and certainly, they are up to the task. I just think it is unfortunate that this Minister is asking one individual to take so much on. I will take his commitment. There are a few other things I would like him to look into. Apparently at the facility itself, when recreation time is given, they will take one of the officers off the job to go and deal with direct duties, leaving one officer behind to handle 30-plus inmates. Is the Minister aware of issues like that that may be compromising the safety of officers who are doing...

Mr. Speaker, this week is Small Business Week, a time to celebrate and thank northern small and medium-sized businesses for their enormous contributions to our territorial economy. They invest in our communities; bring new ideas, products, and services; and foster the economic opportunities that create long-lasting careers and economic growth. This is no more evident than in my riding of Kam Lake, the hub of our territory's small businesses. Since its humble beginnings until the present day, small businesses are everywhere you turn throughout Kam Lake; so much so that I would state that my...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not want to question the Minister's math, but we have had two years to cut the tax. We have not done it. We have got two years left to cut the tax. That is what we are talking about here. Mr. Speaker, the reason why a tax proposal like this is good is because it affects everyone equally. It is not a program that is going to be oversubscribed or underfunded. This is something that every business can benefit from, so, if we are not going to cut taxes, then are we going to roll out some tax credits? Especially as the new carbon tax comes out, are we going...

It is true that any cut to the tax rate is going to decrease revenues, but increased productivity and prosperity in our business community, that is, 98 per cent of the economy, will help create jobs and give businesses more resources to invest back into the economy. The Government of Yukon has cut their small business tax rates, so the Northwest Territories seems to be standing still. Is the Minister willing to revisit this issue at any time in this term?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Committee Report 2-18(3), Standing Committee Report on Government Operations on the Review of the 2014-2015 Public Accounts, be received by the Assembly and moved to Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.