Mr. Speaker, I guess this is not really the place to have a debate about whether or not the Regular Members want to sit on the strategic investment committees or not. There’s a whole reason for that. I’ll do a Member’s statement on that another day.
But I’d like to ask the Premier: if he had to name one thing that would be his goal to accomplish, that would be the legacy of the 16th Assembly — from all the dialogue, communication, strategizing, retreats, sit down talks he’s had with Members — what would be the thing that the 16th Assembly could advance and be remembered for? I’ve heard reference to the Mackenzie Valley Highway as part of this infrastructure thing. Is that something the Premier could hang his hat on?
Mr. Speaker, I don’t think that as the Government of Northwest Territories we should hang our hat on one initiative. I’ve watched previous governments stand up and make grand plans and talk proudly about where we can be and what we can do and at the end of that term sit down and say: well, we almost had it.
Devolution resource revenue sharing is one of those areas we’d like to get concluded in the life of this Assembly, but I also heard that in the last Assembly and the Assembly before that.
I would like to see what I think would secure our place within Canada: building the much needed infrastructure that would help us further develop our economy. That would help us and the federal government in the area of sovereignty. I’ve spoken to that a number of times.
One other key piece, I think — and I’ve laid this out in previous statements in this House — is to further develop the hydro potential we have in the Northwest Territories. We know that all of those the Government of the Northwest Territories will not be able to move by itself on. I think every Member in this Assembly knows that. We have to go out and find partnerships.
When I switched my portfolios and passed on the Finance portfolio, I committed to Members that I would put my energy and focus on selling the North to the rest of Canada and to our own people about what we can do. That’s what I’ve been trying to do. Unfortunately, I feel like I’m being told: slow it down; slow that horse down and maybe get back on the mule, and let’s see where we end up in four years.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Mr. Speaker, you know, interestingly, I’m probably getting a clearer communication from the Premier from asking these kinds of probing questions on the floor of the House. I’m sure the people in the North are glad to hear the answers to these questions today.
Since we’re on the subject of process a bit, I have one last question for the Premier, and it has to do with his mandate as Premier. If the Premier had to categorize where he gets the majority of his advice — because nobody can operate alone; no one can operate in isolation — where would the Premier say he gets the majority of his advice and guidance on going forward, for example, with such a major initiative as the discussion with the Prime Minister of Canada on the infrastructure budget?
Mr. Speaker, the first piece we and I would get advice from is the work we did as 19 Members around building our vision for the Government of Northwest Territories. That would be the first piece. That’s where we talk about a strong, independent North built on partnerships. That is a key piece of where we’re getting this direction from.
Secondly, it’s from Members as we have discussions and take part either in committee meetings or directly in my office or Members’ offices, along with Cabinet, as we try to come up with what scenarios we can put in place. As well, trying to look at and hire some folks outside of our system to build the circle bigger, to open the doors when it comes to the rest of Canada, the other provinces and the federal government, to try to come up with scenarios that would work in helping build the business case — those are areas we’d pull together.
I believe that the wisdom of many will help in getting our job done in the Northwest Territories, and by no means do I think I hold all the wisdom.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice.
Being a returning Member, I remember back to the 15th Assembly. I received a number of phone calls. I know North Slave Correctional Centre is located in the riding of Kam Lake. Not a week went by when I didn’t get a phone call from an inmate incarcerated at that facility. Since the election last year those phone calls have evaporated into nothing. I don’t receive phone calls from North Slave Correctional Centre anymore. I’ve heard through various channels that the Department of Justice implemented a policy at North Slave Correctional Centre that told inmates they couldn’t phone their Member of the Legislative Assembly.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Justice when this policy came into place at North Slave Correctional Centre. Is it applied across all the other correctional facilities in the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular issue was raised at the 15th Assembly. The request came from a Member at that time who didn’t want inmates to be calling him. It was at the request of the Member that the government initiated a policy pertaining to that event.
At the current time I did hear complaints from Regular Members, new Members of the 16th Assembly, so we followed through with that. I did write a letter to each Member highlighting if they’re open to their riding inmates calling them. It was an option I threw out to them. Certainly, we’re listening to the Members. They gave us concerns, and we’re following through with that. That’s what occurred in the 15th Assembly. Mahsi.
If I hear the Minister of Justice correctly, a Member — it could be a current Member or it could be a former Member — complained to the Minister of Justice during the last government and said they didn’t like getting calls from inmates. So the government, in its wisdom, decided that no inmates can phone any of their MLAs. I’m glad to hear the Minister say that.
Now, I guess the policy is being looked at again. If Members want to receive phone calls from inmates who are their constituents, we’re to give our number and tell the Minister of Justice or North Slave Correctional or South Slave correctional or wherever that may be that it’s okay for inmates to phone us.
Mr. Speaker, something’s wrong with that. From my perspective, all of our names are in a phone book, on the Internet. If an inmate or a constituent or whoever wants to phone us, we should be accessible to everybody, whether they are incarcerated or not.
We at the Department of Justice, and also Corrections, recognize the importance of having a communication dialogue, whether it be between the inmates and their MLAs or the parents and so forth. Those were the issues that were brought forward by a Member. They want to have contact with their inmates if there are issues, so certainly we are allowing that to happen now.
We are asking all 19 Members, if there are inmates from their ridings wishing to make a call to them, that they give us their blessing, and certainly that will be open. There may be some Members who may not want the inmates to be calling them. We’re not sure. We don’t know to that degree, but certainly if Members can get back to us at the department, then we can move forward with amending the policy that we currently have in place. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Again, if I’m hearing the Minister of Justice correctly, if we want to entertain phone calls from inmates, we’re to let the Minister of Justice or the Department of Justice know that our name and number can be provided to inmates so they can phone us. Is that correct?
Mr. Speaker, those are the issues at hand. In order to amend those policies we currently have in place, the Members have raised those issues. We do allow a telephone privilege for inmates to call their MLAs. There are phone numbers listed within Corrections so they can call their MLAs. We do have that information for those inmates at Corrections. Certainly, if the Members want us to amend that policy, we’ll grant the wish of the committee members. That has been in the works since the last Assembly, but now we’re in a new Assembly, and we can take on the task. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to thank the Minister of Justice for that. I don’t know how this place is operating lately, because if a Member comes and complains to you, all of a sudden you can change a policy. That doesn’t make much sense to me.
I don’t remember this issue going through. I don’t remember this issue going through caucus. I don’t remember it being brought up anywhere, except for maybe somebody complained to the Minister of the day, and the Minister took it upon him or herself to say: hey; no more inmates are going to be able to phone their MLAs.
There’s something wrong with that. Again, I’d like to ask the Minister if he can change the policy. Like I said, I think whether you’re an inmate or not, you should be able to call your MLA.
That initiative is underway. I did ask all Members where they stand on inmates calling them in their respective ridings. This had been decided upon in the 15th Assembly. Whatever decisions there are, such as this, we like to inform the committee members, which I’ve done. I’ve informed the committee members that if they feel confident that we need to change our policy, which I did…. They will eventually get back to me, get back to the department, and we’ll pursue it. I think the communication we’re having now is a great example of moving forward. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Could the Minister of Health and Social Services provide me with a comprehensive breakdown of the usage of the three Stanton Territorial Hospital operating rooms during the 2007–2008 fiscal year and the 2008–2009 fiscal year to date. Specifically:
the number of days each operating room was opened;
the number of days each operating room was closed;
the number of hours each room was not in operation; and
a list of days that each was closed.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, I will move the following motion.
Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that this Assembly recommend to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Robert C. McLeod, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, be appointed to Executive Council.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 8, 2008, I will move the following motion.
Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that the rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by rescinding Rule 76 and substituting the following:
The Assembly may not adopt or pass any vote, resolution, address or bill for the appropriation of public revenue except for a purpose recommended to the Assembly by the Commissioner in the session in which the vote, resolution, address or bill is proposed.
Rule 76(1) relates only to the appropriation and does not refer to the imposition of taxes. The only condition imposed on the taxation measure is that it be introduced by a Minister.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Assembly, when an estimates document is tabled in the Assembly it is deemed referred to Committee of the Whole.
The adoption of any motion to concur in any estimates document shall be an order of the Assembly to bring in an appropriation bill or bills based thereon.
Notwithstanding Rule 64, when an appropriation bill is introduced to appropriate sums of money contained in the estimates as approved by the Committee of the Whole, the bill may receive second and third readings on the same day on which it received first reading.
Notwithstanding Rule 69(2), when an appropriation bill is read for the second time, it shall be deemed ready for third reading.
And further that Rules 66 and 69(3) be rescinded.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.
Unanimous consent granted.
WHEREAS section 61(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that there shall be an Executive Council in the Northwest Territories;
AND WHEREAS Members of the Executive Council are appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that this Assembly recommend to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories that Mr. Robert C. McLeod, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, be appointed to the Executive Council.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
Motion carried.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.
Unanimous consent granted.
WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly is committed to ensuring that the Budget Review Process is publicly accessible, transparent to all residents and efficient;
AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly has chosen to make revisions to the Estimates and Appropriation Bill Review Process;
NOW THEREFORE I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by rescinding Rule 76 and substituting the following:
ESTIMATES AND APPROPRIATION BILLS
76(1) The Assembly may not adopt or pass any vote, resolution, address or bill for the appropriation of public revenue except for the purpose recommended to the Assembly by the Commissioner in the Session in which the vote, resolution, address or bill is proposed.
Rule 76(1) relates only to the appropriations and does not refer to the imposition of taxes. The only condition imposed on a taxation measure is that it be introduced by a Minister.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Assembly, when an estimates document is tabled in the Assembly it is deemed referred to Committee of the Whole.
The adoption of any motion to concur in any estimates document shall be an Order of the Assembly to bring in an appropriation bill or bills based thereon.
Notwithstanding Rule 64, when an appropriation bill is introduced to appropriate sums of money contained in the estimates as approved by the Committee of the Whole, the bill may receive second and third reading on the same day on which it receives first reading.
Notwithstanding Rule 69(2), when an appropriation bill is read for the second time it shall be deemed ready for third reading.
AND FURTHER that Rules 66 and 69(3) be rescinded.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
Motion carried.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 19, Donation of Food Act, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Bill 19 has had first reading.
Motion carried; Bill 19, Donation of Food Act, read a first time.
The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Miltenberger.
Bill 20
Supplementary Appropriation Act,
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2008–2009, be read for the first time.
Bill 20 has had first reading.
Motion carried; Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2008–2009, read a first time.
I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2008–2009, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2008–2009 fiscal year.
Bill 20 has had second reading.
Motion carried; Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2008–2009, read a second time and referred to a standing committee.
