Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was asking some questions of the Minister of Human Resources today about his Minister's statement. I understand the government does a great job trying to offer positions to affected employees. However, my question to the Minister previously may not have been asked properly, so I am going to ask it again: if the affected employee is offered a job and accepts it because it is the only position available at that time, and during the time he is in this position another position becomes available, is he able to apply for this position? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Human Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, anyone seeking employment within the Government of the Northwest Territories is free to apply to any job competition at any time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I, too, am looking for mental health days here at some point in time. I thank him for that. My next question: what is the criteria that is being used to offer positions to affected employees besides them just being affected employees?
Our department is in contact with the employees. They won't be offered a job just because they are an affected employee. They have to actually be qualified for that particular job that they apply for. Our staff is working with those who are affected.
I again thank the Minister for that answer. It’s good to hear. However, I’ve been in contact with some of these affected employees or even contacted myself and other honourable Members here. What happens if a non-reasonable offer is being offered to these individuals or on an unacceptable timeline? Like you’ve got three days to make a decision on this position; what can the employee do to make sure that this is addressed?
If the Member has any particular cases that he wants to discuss with me, I would be happy to hear those and bring them forward to the department. As far as timeline goes, we try work with the employees to try and get them into situations that would work to their best.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve been up here for six weeks in Yellowknife and asking questions for six weeks. The only thing I’ve gotten is a couple of signs put up by the Minister in his own riding. I just ask the Minister of Justice for his details of the program that has been one of the major issues of this Assembly that nearly every Regular Member has spoken in defense of. The Minister just told me, if I want those details or if anyone wants those details, they can go to a meeting on Tuesday. Clearly, the info was public. Clearly, there’s an appetite from the public for these details. Will the Minister respond to us for openness and transparency? Make these details public so we can see what this program is all about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Member responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency.
Mr. Speaker, a very extensive report was done about the A New Day healing program which was filed and tabled in this House. I think all of the details about the program are contained within this report. I’m not certain what additional information the Member is requesting. Thank you.
I’ll give a copy of my statements from the last two days to the Minister because I know about A New Day program as it stands now. We’re talking about a RFP that is for A New Day program that looks like a substantially different program. That’s the details I’m looking for. If the Minister heard my statement today, the new program isn’t based on the report. I’ve pointed out various aspects of it that doesn’t fly in the face of the report. Why can’t the Minister release these details that are going to be released at the meeting on Tuesday?
The RFP, of course, is based on the findings in the A New Day healing program evaluation report. The suggestions in these report, many of them or perhaps most of them, were incorporated into the RFP. The RFP is available to possible bidders. Additional information can be obtained on Tuesday. I don’t have that additional information in front of me because I’m not certain what questions might possibly be asked.
Other than what is in the RFP, then, is there an actual program designed? Because I’m starting to think that they don’t have a program to release publicly.
The new program is building on the old program, of course; incorporating in the RFP the suggestions contained within the evaluation report. Information that bidders are requesting is in the RFP. On that basis, they can make bids. If they wish to have additional information, they can attend the meeting on Tuesday, which will assist them in making their bids should they wish to bid on aspects of the program.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll try this: can I get the Minister to commit to either reading the old and new RFP or getting a briefing on the new and old RFP so I can have an educated discussion with him about this at some point in the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that a briefing will be provided to the Member opposite should he wish to avail himself of that on Monday.
Masi. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know that the Minister of Finance has no plans to lower the tax on small business any time soon, but I’d like to ask him today if he will commit to implementing a small investment tax credit by next budget which would give a 25 per cent non-refundable personal income tax credit up to a maximum of $25,000 a year. This would reduce financial risk to investors and encourage investment in our economy. Will the Minister commit to introducing a small business investment tax credit by next budget? Thank you.
Minister of Finance.
I take the question as notice, Mr. Speaker.
The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Human Resources. I’d like to ask the Minister along the lines of the questions from the honourable Member for Nahendeh: what is the motivation behind making unreasonable offers to affected employees under the staff retention policy? Thank you.
Minister of Human Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t know where the Member got the unreasonable offer. There are no unreasonable offers that are made to the employees. Thank you.
I have letters from the deputy ministers that indicate, right on there, that this is considered an unreasonable offer. My question is: why? What is the motivation behind that type of offer to individuals? Individuals are affected. During the Staff Retention Policy, the Government of Northwest Territories tries to retain staff, good staff, long-term staff. What would the motivation of offering those members of the public service an unreasonable offer?
I’m not aware of any unreasonable offers. I would be pleased if the Member would share his letters with me.
I would be pleased to do that, to share the letter, and I’m satisfied with that.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement yesterday, they were getting into the season of winter road closure and looking forward to the barging season. Our session will start at the end of May and, just weeks prior to that or after that, we’ll get into the sailing season. My question is to the Minister of Public Works on the sailing and preparation steps here for the barging season: what sailing schedules, if any, have been done so far for the Sahtu communities? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Public Works and Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For Members of this House and those listening, if you look on the Public Works website, there is a tentative sailing season already posted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That would mean that the operational schedule has taken into account and is monitoring the water levels, in particular, between Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope? It could be challenging with the two sets of rapids in that area, and the fuel quantum going to Fort Good Hope and Tulita. Is that part of the first sailing season in June?
We cannot control the levels of the river. We are hoping that this year has a good sailing season. As far as what deliveries are going to be scheduled out initially for fuel delivery to the Members' ridings, I would have to get that information and get back to him.
Seeing that the public owns these assets here, are there any additional benefits such as subsidized freight rates that the customers could realize by this government owning the property, subsidy benefits?
We have no plans to have subsidized freight rates. I believe that the purchase of us buying these assets has helped lock down uncertainty that would have been brought to this industry and supplies to the northern regions of the Northwest Territories. I cannot tell you exactly what the rates are, but I believe, I think, we are following the rates from the previous sailing season.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is: if there is going to be any reductions in our operating from the previous owner in the costs of doing so, and if there is room for reduced benefits seeing and the rate price per freight, would that information be provided to me, please? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we move forward, how we are going to operate the marine division, we will be definitely updating committee on revenues versus expenses, and we will have a look at all that stuff moving forward.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Northwest Territories Tourism Marketing Plan 2017/18." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Tabling of Documents, Minister of Finance.
