Robert Hawkins

I’d like to recognize Mr. Jim White. He’s the executive director of the Yellowknife Housing Authority here in Yellowknife and has come to a number of sessions. He does a good job down there.

Sorry to disappoint Mr. Abernethy, but I’d also like to recognize Mr. Blake Lyons as my constituent.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I only speak for myself in a context that's hypothetical, but I know that if I were the Minister of Human Resources, I would fight to get them on the books.

I would find it odd. I think we’re challenged, as Regular Members on this side, when we hear that you’re funding unestablished positions — in the formal context, when I call it that — and we’re not funding them properly. One could then beg to argue, “Well, if you can get by at a certain percentage short, why can’t everyone else get by?”

I just find it odd that these positions aren’t on the books, and I’d like to know...

I’ve been led to believe that a number of these positions have been left vacant for quite some time, as this is a funding principle or practice of this department. Could the Minister speak to that and offer some clarity?

I’ve been led to believe that a number of unfunded positions exist. Their titles may not be before me, if I could describe them as temporary positions, floating positions, you know, of that type of nature. I’ve been led to understand that some of the positions being kept unfilled; in other words, funded positions that are left vacant are being left on the books in order to fill those positions. Could the Minister provide some guidance and light on that observation?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche.

Department of Finance

Members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations met with the Minister of Finance on April 1, 2008, to review the Draft Main Estimates for the Department of Finance.

Committee members made note that the department is proposing to spend $10,959,000 in operation expenses for the fiscal year of 2008–2009.

Committee members offer the following comments on issues arising out of the review of the 2008–2009 Draft Main Estimates.

Revenue Increase and Stabilization

Committee members found that in order to create long-term financial stability for the...

Mr. Speaker, can I get a commitment from the Minister to provide me and potentially other Members of this House a briefing as to what work has been done to date and what milestones are put in place, as well as what possible hurdles they foresee that are stopping us from implementing this program before the end of summer?

Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today I talked about the foreign fieldworkers problem that we have here in Yellowknife — and not just here in Yellowknife but throughout the territory. It’s been noted many times over at length — and it’s probably exhausting to hear — how exciting and booming our economy is, but the fact is that businesses are suffering out here as well. We have a good economy, but we have businesses that can’t hire people to work there. We’ve had good examples throughout our city just alone.

When people have to close their business and close their doors because they can’t...

During the February session I spoke of the need for the government to establish a territorial nomination system to help speed up the immigration process for foreign skilled and semi-skilled workers who wish to become permanent residents of the Northwest Territories. Most provinces and the Yukon have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to play a more direct role in selecting immigrants who wish to settle in their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, the response from the Minister indicated that the government did not see a role in facilitating the recruitment of skilled...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government has put an increased emphasis on support for trades training and apprenticeship opportunities over the past few years. What hasn’t been discussed enough, as far as I’m concerned, is the fact that the trades training programs, in my mind, still have a number of gaps.

One area in the trades that is definitely needed in the North is cooking trades, a Red Seal Program. There’s a high demand for certified cooks in our diamond mines, exploration camps and in the food service industry in our North. The demand for skilled cooks will only increase when the...

Mr. Speaker, I came today to make sure my vote got recorded. That was probably the most important reason I came today. I’ve got personal reasons that should be keeping me away today, but my wife is keeping me abreast all the way through.

Mr. Speaker, I’m going to vote in favour of second reading on the simple principle of debate. The reason is — if I may steal the words of another colleague of mine — it’s going to give us the opportunity to fight like hell on a number of the lines, line by line. I welcome that opportunity.

I’m not going to pretend I’m in favour of the budget wholeheartedly. I...