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...

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I talked about raising the bar of our trades programs here in the North by offering training that doesn’t exist today. That training would be the Red Seal Program for a cooking school. I had the chance and the privilege to bring the Minister down to a facility here in Yellowknife run by Chef Pierre, to see his facility and what could be done to elevate trades programs here in the North.

My question to the Minister of ECE is: would he be willing to look at this possibility of moving forward on implementing a cooking trades program here in the Northwest Territories, to...

Mr. Speaker, I compliment Aurora College for having their camp cook program that they operate in their existing programming, but I think it’s time that we can expect more and demand more.

The Minister has said that he would be looking at this situation. When can I get some type of commitment that they will bring down the Aurora College board and the officials to take a serious look at the nuts and bolts of this operation, to see if this is something we can do here in the Territories?

Mr. Speaker, the committee is disappointed that the two reports the commissioner had announced during the review of her last year’s annual report had not been received. During the review of the 2006–2007 annual report, the commissioner announced that the report on language services in health care facilities will be tabled during the May-June session of 2008. The commissioner provided no timelines or details relating to her previous announced report on advertising requirements.

As the committee discussed with the commissioner, the responsibility for the promotion of the official languages rests...

Mr. Speaker, in all due respect, I don’t see it as 2 per cent. I see it as 118 families, and that’s the way I see it.

My issue really is, out of this 118 that we’re talking about, how many are up for potential reassignment in other positions? That’s what I want to know. Ultimately, I want to know — and I would hope other Members on this side of the House want to know — how many people are we really talking about that will be ultimately impacted, once this process is jigged out and finalized?

The number of layoffs concerns myself, as well as a number of people in this House. Furthermore, it certainly has hit the radar of the union out there, with approximately 135 potential layoffs coming out there. I want to seek some clarity as we go forward in this process as to what’s happening, so I’ll have some questions directed to the Premier.

The Premier has announced 135 layoffs. As I understand it, some people have left, due to separation, in the context that they’ve taken other jobs. There’s been some further paring down as other people have taken other opportunities. I want to know...

Mr. Speaker, I’m not going to say that the Minister is completely wrong, but I just don’t believe him.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that a PUB type of system will help protect and stabilize prices. Five out of our ten provinces in Canada can’t be completely wrong by finding an approach to balance this out. It would still allow that industry to raise prices, yet it would put the onus on them to bring a mild amount of justification.

So, Mr. Speaker, with all of that said, would the Minister of Finance reconsider his position in the context of providing a stable, protected environment for our consumers...