R.J. Simpson

Thank you. I've already talked to the department about getting a website and an email address going so that members of the public can provide their comments. Thank you.

Thank you. We have Mr. Michael Saturnino, assistant deputy minister, labour and income security, and Mr. Mike Reddy, director of legislation, Department of Justice. Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here today to present Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupational Certification Act. I want to thank the Standing Committee on Social Development for its interest in and review of the bill. The Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupational Certification Act gives the Minister authority to issue various types of certifications for apprenticeships, trades, and occupations in the NWT.

This bill seeks to amend the act to allow for the issuance of other prescribed certificates, to give the Department of Education, Culture and Employment the ability to...

Thank you. The number one sick day is "spring ahead," so daylight savings. I'm not sure if I have the estimates of how much that costs the government on an annual basis, but we do see a significant cost to the GNWT. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, March 29, 2021, I will move that Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Education Act be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I think that, for those of us who reside in the southern part of the territory, this is a more live debate than maybe some of or northern colleagues, where it's either always dark or it's always sunny. I take the Member's comments, and I take all the comments here seriously. I do appreciate the feedback that we are getting. That's why we have these debates. Thank you.

Their wages will drop because currently there is a Wage Top-Up program in place, and that runs until August 31st. The next day, the Wage Top-Up program will no longer be operational, and people who are making minimum wage will start receiving $15.20 an hour from their employer without that additional top-up. I just want to point out that the minimum wage is just that. It's a minimum wage. I think less than a thousand people in the territory make minimum wage. Most of them are between 15 and 24. Most of them are living at home, and perhaps a higher wage will help them get out of that house...

Thank you. This was something put forward by committee. In my mind, it's something quite limited, given that it would make very little sense for us to go off on our own and have a different time than Alberta. It wouldn't make sense, and I don't think the public would be appreciative if we did that. It would cause havoc for flights. It would cause havoc for all sorts of things.

I am serious that we would have some sort of website, an email address, a place where comments can be submitted. I don't plan to travel around the territory seeking engagement. Of course, there are going to be...

Based on the questions that I've gotten in the House, the feedback that committee has provided during our main estimates review, both in camera and in public, there's additional work being done on the Arts Strategy. I think it's incumbent upon us when we hear things to incorporate that feedback. We will do that. We will be providing standing committee, both, I believe, Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment and the Standing Committee on Social Development with copies of the draft for additional feedback in the coming weeks and likely will table at the next sitting of this...