R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, I will move that Bill 39, An Act to Amend the Post-Secondary Education Act be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, I will move that Bill 37, an Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 13-19(2), Report on the Review of the 2019-2020 Ombud Annual Report; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 15-19(2), Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2020 Audit of Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the NWT; and Additional Follow-Up for Oral Question 497-19(2), Corrections Workplace Assessment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I am speaking in support for the Member from Thebacha.

These types of comments I don't think would be appropriate at any work site if you do your job, I'm coming after you. I think that this is probably the most clear a case I've seen where there's a breach of privilege. It's not very  there's not a lot of gray area here. This is very black and white.

You might think that the comment is a little vague, and it is. It's not clear what it's referencing but, you know, other Members have commented that if you look at the timeline, it is right before the sole adjudicator...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, I will move that Bill 38, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2021 be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, I will move that Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I just want to keep us on track. So right now, we're discussing a point of privilege related to threatening comments that have been made, and we're not discussing the motion in the report as you had just mentioned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the work to determine when that happens is underway. We are going to do a full review of arts funding programs across the territory. This isn't something that can be done in isolation, just creating an arts council. We need to take stock of what we're doing, how much are we spending, and how effective is it, and how can it be improved by the creation of something like an arm's length arts council. So that work is happening over the coming years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And it would be a lot of work, for one thing. There would have to be consultation with the education authority and obviously the district education council. The district education authority would have to make it very clear that this is what they wanted, and I haven't received that  you know, there's been no resolution passed by the authority that I'm aware of. But the Hay River DEA comprises of about 42 percent of the student population of the south slave. So  but probably close to $10 million that goes to the SSDEC would then be removed and allocated to a new DEA, a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated last time, if this was as easy as cutting a cheque we wouldn't be here. This issue would be dealt with. The fact is we have an education system that is built on equality, not on not about being equitable; it's about being equal, so. And if I pay for busing in Hay River, I'd have to pay for busing in Fort Smith, and Yellowknife, in Inuvik, in Simpson. It doesn't matter if the communities need or not; we have to give them the money. I am working towards an equitable system where money goes where it's needed but currently, we have an equal system. So that...