R.J. Simpson

It's not a matter of accepting the proposal. The proposal has been looked at, and as I stated, it was over half-a-million dollars for six spaces. It sounds like there was a second phase, which I'm guessing would have been more. There were additional improvements to the space. I understand that, but the fact is that we have limited resources. We have a lot of needs all over the territory, and there are competing priorities. I wish I could fund all the spaces and especially French-first-language spaces. I know that there is a limited number of those in the territory, but the numbers didn't add...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have made public comments on this, so it's on the record. I have had frank conversations with the chair of the CSFTNO, and so we are both aware of each other's positions. I can have a frank conversation with the Member. However, as you know, Madam Speaker, Rule 24(g) prohibits the discussion of matters that are before the courts, and I don't want to offend the rules of this Assembly. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the third time, and, Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act, be read for the third time, and, Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you.

When the federal government is involved, I cannot really commit to expediting. It's just the nature of the beast. However, I told the department that it's probably been a month since this first came up and that I want to start moving on it immediately, so I am doing my best. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The detachment in Whati right now, I believe it's about 30 years old. It's being replaced because it's no longer up to the RCMP standards. If the detachment were to be moved to Gameti, it wouldn't be positioned as an RCMP detachment. They are getting rid of it because they don't want to use it as a detachment. That being said, in Gameti, I know, even when I was there years ago, the chief brought this up that, if someone is detained while the RCMP are in the community, they keep them in the back of the truck for however long they need to, or they put them in the community government office...

The Member is correct. The GNWT doesn't provide these services at all. It doesn't have the ability to provide these services currently. School boards are funded for their operations, including things like workplace assessments. That said, though, I will have a discussion with the Minister of Finance and see what kind of progress we can make on this. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The department worked closely with the proponent on the proposal to the federal government, but in the end, the cost was just too much for the GNWT. We have an Early Learning and Childcare Infrastructure Fund that is $500,000 a year for the entire territory, and our cost for this project would have been greater than that for the creation of six spaces. It couldn't be justified under our fiscal reality.

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the third time, and, Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Employment Standards Act to provide an entitlement to unpaid emergency leave for employees who are unable to perform their duties because of an emergency; definitions that in apply in respect of emergency and extend the definition of care to apply in respect of emergency leave; establish regulation making authorities in respect of emergency leave and provide that regulations made under this authority may...