Robert Hawkins

Mr. Chairman, could the Minister provide some information as to how those five positions ended up, or where they ended up? Were they transferred? If the positions were reduced, what happened to the employees in those particular cases? Were they transferred to empty positions, vacant positions, or are they still in stasis at this moment, waiting for the completion of the budget? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I see that there’s a reduction of 11 positions. I just wondered if the Premier — or I should say, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, in this particular case, but obviously one and the same — had any comment as to the strategy to review this reduction, and if he had any comment on the work that was done to ensure that either these positions weren’t necessary or, furthermore, that this work could be picked up by other staff.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My last comment for opening remarks is I want to make note that it's good to see some ecoTrust money going to some good projects. I'd enjoy the fact that Public Works is working very hard to develop options like heat pumps and selling more wood boilers. It may not be the only solution to our energy crisis and the way it is, but the territorial government, as we all know, pays a fair amount in oil costs and to operate buildings. If we can find a cheaper solution, that certainly is a payback — within a reasonable amount of time, that is — I certainly support. That's...

Mr. Speaker, if I said today — simply just today — how much money is there in any incentive program for any employer to come in and tap into, so they could use that to leverage their own money in order to hire summer students…? Because, I think, as highlighted by the Minister and me yesterday, the territorial government can’t employ all the students; it certainly isn’t reasonable. We’ve only been able to employ approximately 60 per cent of what we had last year. The private sector wants to take it up. So what programs exist today that they could call to tap into to hire these extra students?

Mr. Chairman, before I go into continuing my general comments, I would disagree with shutting a Member down. I feel that my privilege as a Member has been taken away and my rights are being stepped on. I would caution the Chair in that regard. Whatever advice is given to shut down a Member’s privilege of debate…. This would be an unusual exercise of that privilege, because I have not given it up. I am prepared to accept the position of the Chair, but I wish to highlight that before I continue.

As we move forward, I continue to share a number of Members’ frustration over trying to get the details on what type of work was done.

I’m just going to take a position here, and I want them to explain to me how it worked. It was already highlighted in the House that it was the communications position that’s been targeted for reduction. I’d like to know what analysis was done and the procedure of how they decided that communications wasn’t required or who is going to pick up those duties. That’s the type of analysis I’m trying to get to understand this.

Further highlighting the concern I’m...

No, that’s it.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is specific to page 6-8. I thank the Minister and the staff for providing this layout as to the description of the positions. I find it very useful, and I appreciate that work.

A similar question to Mr. Abernethy’s is: if I could get some information as to what analysis was done to determine why a specific position was needed or not needed? Was there any specific analysis to weigh out whether a position was needed or not needed?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Earlier today we were provided with a list of position reductions under Health and Social Services. I just want to be clear. Under Active Positions here there seems to be a loss of eight positions. If the Minister could clarify which positions have been re-profiled in the bigger scheme of things.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is as good an opportunity as any to bring this up. I notice that the Minister’s opening remarks, with the eight pages…. As highlighted by another Member, it seems to be lacking in recognition or a plan — or, I should say, even further — on addictions. Addictions, as we know, is a very significant problem here. It’s horrible. That’s all I’m going to say. I could probably go on at length about that. The fact is that addictions isn’t highlighted. I’ve looked through the budget, and of course, we don’t have any specific line item for addictions.

The problem with that...