Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are for the Premier. Considering that in Nunakput we have the highest cost of food in the NWT, will this government get more aggressive, comprehensive when calculating GNWT salaries and northern allowances for smaller northern communities?
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has highlighted that we, as the GNWT, through our Collective Agreement have a northern allowance that deals with the cost differences in our communities. That is a process that we use as we get into negotiation cycles. It’s difficult for me to put much detail on that, as it falls into our negotiation process. The Minister responsible would probably be able to give more detail on that. It is something that comes up during the cycles of negotiations with our employees.
Considering that two GNWT jobs, one in Yellowknife and one in the small, remote community, are doing the exact same things, requiring the same level of education, with an income difference of only a few thousand dollars, will this government finally implement realistic initiatives and policies that truly calculate salaries and earnings and other benefits for small, remote communities?
It’s always been a challenge for the Government of the Northwest Territories to have a competitive environment when it comes to our employees in our more remote communities as well as in our larger centres when the economy is heated. For us, as we go forward, it is something that is taken into consideration when the negotiation cycles come into place and that is something that we have discussions on with unions as well as we go forward. I’ll commit to getting the information from the Minister to the Member on how the northern allowance process works and the ranges that are in place for our communities.
In Nunakput right now the economy is not heated. I wish some of the diamond mines would start hiring from our region. Will this government progressively work with the Members of the Legislative Assembly and the Government of Canada to adopt changes to the Food Mail Program that will actually assist residents in the small, remote communities to eat healthy and live healthy?
We are involved in that review to a certain extent. It is a federal program but we have our commitment to stay involved and track it. We have offered suggestions and worked with the leaders that see this program and are involved and have requested changes. We’re staying committed to following it through to see what changes the federal government may bring forward.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that the cost of living in the most northern communities makes healthy living a luxury for only the privileged that have government jobs, and given that currently the residents of Nunakput could pay up to $10 for small bags of salad and you can’t get anything else for $10 in Tuk, given the current approach, it seems just the revised status quo. Will this government place current review program on the food mail for the elders and assistance programs and priorities to get them involved?
Again, the Food Mail Program is a federal program that we’ve become involved in in the sense of trying to come up with a coordinated approach from our side to the federal government. They have their hand on this. We’ll continue to pursue that from our side for any changes and so on. Again, we would have to work with those that have presented their case as well, to see what or how we can influence the federal government in making the necessary changes.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
