Caroline Wawzonek

Madam Chair, yes. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have already had the benefit of investment from the federal government, partnered with the GNWT, to begin the process. The Taltson and the Slave Geologic Province are both at a point where they can begin the process toward environmental assessments. There is already support from our federal government partners to advance those projects. There is a lot of work that can be done in the course of three years to have them to be at a point where they would be then ready to proceed to a construction stage. A further injection of dollars at this point may not be necessary to...

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories wants NWT businesses to flourish. For small businesses in particular, prompt payment of invoices is critical to their financial health.

As Minister, I can assure you that the Department of Finance places a high value on maintaining a positive working relationship with the companies the GNWT does business with.

The Financial and Employee Shared Services, or FESS, is the division responsible for processing and issuing payment for all supplier invoices for goods and services provided to all GNWT departments, the Northwest Territories Housing...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, if a P1 has applied on a position, meets the requirements, and the passing grade for the various positions are set in conjunction and collaboration between human resources and departments, and if a P1 passes whatever the passing grade is, taking into account all of the qualifications, then the P1 gets the position, even if a non-P1 has a higher grade. Thank you, Madam. Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The RFP process was due to come out early this calendar year, and it is behind schedule. I'm conscious that it's behind schedule, and the department is conscious that it's behind schedule. So, when is it due to come out exactly? At this point, I'm more hesitant to put a deadline on it, other than to say that, when we're already behind schedule, we don't want to be more behind schedule. It's coming. It will be out in due course. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, I will commit to providing the rationale that underlies all direct appointments. I certainly can provide that in fairly short order. With respect to the number of direct appointments that have occurred, I would like to first confirm that this wouldn't result in any information-sharing that would be inappropriate. For example, in a small community, I wouldn't want this to wind up with somebody having their personal information shared about the nature of their employment. I will return to the Member with a response as to whether or not I can, in fact, make that commitment on the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I am alive that the Member has previously spoken about this topic, and I believe that I have previously made commitments to ensure that the draft materials for seeking those grants and for making application for those grants would be provided to committee for input before being finalized. I believe I will be completing that commitment in the very near future. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, yes. I have personally been engaged on this issue with the Department of Finance federally along with a host of other issues. I think I have had telephone conversations, there have been letter exchanges, and we have had an opportunity to meet at the federal, provincial, and territorial finance Ministers' meetings. When I am saying that it is an act of engagement and dialogue, it has been that already, even in four short months. It is a dialogue and an exchange that is really more than just the federal debt limit. It is much more, also, about really looking to the federal...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't have my numbers broken down that way, but I'm confident that we can provide that information. I'll do so. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is correct, and it's a challenge that's being faced by other jurisdictions, as well. Which is not to say that a solution shouldn't be found, just that we're certainly not alone with the challenge. Thank you, Madam Chair.