Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, again, I want to reaffirm it's about process and transparency I'm after. And just for definition, so people know what it means, a black budget appropriation is when a government's budget is allocated in a classified manner that's secret, Mr. Speaker.

So we don't know what's being approved. So I'm asking with respect to the dollar amounts, what type of public transparency and discussion can we have here in this House and before the public before these types of things are approved? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Mr. Speaker, when we think of the whole budget -- and I'm not getting into the details of the budget specifically that hasn't been tabled -- it's something in the range of $700 million. We're being asked to take a lot of it at good faith, in other words. That's a lot of millions, Mr. Speaker.

So, Mr. Speaker, the Minister says the process. Well, we are in charge of the process. She is in charge of the process. So in other words, the people that can change the process are us. Mr. Speaker, the question really is designed around how can MLAs be informed as to what's actually happening behind the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given that the NWT government has hired the Saskatchewan health care expert, and now I call him the health care czar, to reengineer the NWT health system and certainly given the fact that the Minister has shared with Members confidentially, of course, Mr. Speaker, the mandate of the health care czar, and the only person who can make it public is the Minister, would the Minister be willing to table that mandate letter of the public administrator before the House so Northerners can find out what's actually being directed here and if she can't table it, can...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 41)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's answer of defending status quo process and paperwork because I'm not sure we are doing anything better. I can't -- I'd like to hear what the Minister says we've solved health care problems and assignments. Can the Minister answer that question in the context of why don't we go back to fee for service where doctors could see more patients a day and deliver the same type of results, about serving citizens, and that's exactly what we want. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe then I'll ask this: Can I get some sense as to when the next Council of Leaders meeting is; furthermore -- because Members are really not involved in any of that stuff so we don't really know what happens at that esoteric table of conversations until much later. That said, can he make sure he informs me when the next Council of Leaders meeting is. Furthermore, can he also let me know when or who he's spoken to about this so I get a sense that at least the conversation is being had, and we can then take it wherever it goes next. Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Clearly, we're here at this particular moment because some of the round of questions I had for the Minister and the staff, and essentially what boils down to it is trying to get the essence of what the $12 million is, what it does. I mean, I know what money does, but what -- how it's targeted in the sense of what it does. I mean, there were a few other questions -- I'm trying to wrap it up as simply as possible for the Member of Frame Lake so he appreciates that. I also sought the advice or thought of the Minister in the sense of the impacts of the delay. I mean, it...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I'd like to cite my questions towards my Member's statement today and where I talked about the advancement of a potential conversation of renaming the Northwest Territories. So I'd like to specifically ask the Premier, who also is -- who works with the Council of Leaders.

Mr. Speaker, would the Premier be interested in raising the issue with the Council of Leaders to get their thoughts and opinions on is it time to start having this conversation about naming the Northwest Territories -- or I should say renaming the Northwest Territories to a name that's more...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Mr. Chairman, if the Minister is happy to go back to Members, I certainly welcome that. Does that also mean that she would be comfortable if Members deferred the specific line item but approved the overall supp appropriation respecting that we are waiting for that further detail? I'm curious on her thoughts and impacts of that particular decision. We still have several days ahead of us in this session so that line item specifically can come back once we have that clarity. So would she feel comfortable with that approach knowing that it sounds like a lot of questions are still outstanding?

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Thank you for that. Is the Minister saying that, suggesting, or implying, the PUB process is being held up on this point? Thank you.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 40)

Is there any current financial urgency or impact that this has not been approved as of yet?