Robert Hawkins

Thank you for that detail. Actually, that was very helpful. Out of the remaining, or what would be described as the remaining 32 positions, how many will be left vacant? My question would be: do you have any unfunded positions that go over and above that latest number?

I thank the Premier for that answer. Before I get specifically to the impacted and whatnot, the Premier did make a statement regarding meeting their mandate. I just want to be clear: he’s saying that with a reduction of staff, they’ll still be able to meet their mandate. Could he explain what the case was before? If there’s been a reduction of — can I say? — approximately 20 to 25 per cent of staff, that’s a huge reduction. From a layperson’s point of view, you’re saying you can delete 25 per cent of people working on a particular file, or maybe in an area, and still meet that mandate, so...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I’ll be supporting this motion on a couple of principles. We often talk about sort of raising women in the context of senior management and making sure that they’re profiled appropriately and given fair opportunities.

This actually happens to be one of those departments where we have a deputy minister who is a female. It also falls down, though, in other areas, where it’s less admirable. It doesn’t reflect our general population and the distribution of representation.

So that was the principle of why I am supporting this motion. You would think, if anything...

Well, I still have a couple of small questions. I feel that they’re appropriate, and I’ll continue with them in that regard.

Mr. Chairman, we have the infrared thermal scanning continuing on page 4, and it talks about community buildings. Although I support the GNWT scanning its buildings — and again, there’s no specific line item that points to this, so that’s why it is appropriate in opening comments — I’m curious as to whether the department actually charges back for this in any way. Is this something we do as a favour while we’re in the community? My thought is it would probably incur...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, a private sector person called me yesterday, as I’ve said, and they want access to any opportunities they can to help leverage their money to hire students, because they’ve got a lot of work in their shop. This is one of a number of examples out there. Mr. Speaker, if there is a pot out there through the Progressive Experience Program, how much money is available, and how would they obtain access to this potential program to make sure they put these students to work?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the third paragraph down we have a section highlighted under the recruitment....

I appreciate, and I’ll make special recognition of, the fact that the Minister’s instructions were probably to ensure that whatever impact was going to happen…. I’m sure they were, to some degree, not focused on making sure we created as few ways as possible. I’ll recognize that’s probably an assumption on my part, but I would think that any reasonable person would say, Let’s try to make this as seamless as possible. Assuming that, we would have to come down to a reason as to why these specific positions were chosen over others.

With approximately 117 positions within the headquarters region of...

No, it didn’t seem quite clear. There may have been a position missing or something there. Could we clarify that? If we have 15 positions here, two to be determined, and this is headquarters, that’s minus eight. If I read this paper, there are 15. The paper I’m citing is the one. I just want to make sure.

Well, I disagree with the Minister’s assertion on that, because quite frankly, we don’t have a specialized program that deals with crack. That’s taking over a number of our areas in the community, and it’s becoming the drug of choice, which is a real shame.

Sending someone to intense treatment in a hospital is not an appropriate use of our hospital. Furthermore, when we describe it as “We send them to the mental health unit,” I wouldn’t typically want to describe someone who has a drug addiction problem and wants to seek treatment as having a mental health problem. I would say that’s someone...

Although I’m not on the clock, I thank you for giving me the chance to say, Yes, I’ll take that information. I certainly would hope that every other Member on this side of the House would receive the offer of that package of information the Minister had offered.