Shauna Morgan

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the hesitation to make the same changes for all recipients, who are not seniors or those with disabilities, is that because of a concern that it wouldn't be in the best interests of the clients, that people would take advantage of the system, or that the system would lose too much money in that you'd have people sort of going through the cracks or going over the space of the year and making more money than they're supposed to and the system wouldn't be able to claw that back as it is now? So I guess the question is, is the aim to really hold on to that ability to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Clause 14 of Bill 2 requires the RCMP to prepare an annual report to be provided to the Minister of Justice on the total number of emergency demands, a description of the types of records specified, and any other prescribed information. In public meetings, there were questions about where unsolved cold and historical statistics on missing persons cases in the NWT are to be recorded and published, and whether and where that information is currently located or published. Participants requested that the year and reason for why people are missing in the NWT also be published...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to be clear that this motion deletes just over $200,000, so it will not allow more on the ground people in communities, in schools, language, educators. This motion just deletes money from the budget, and even though the Member's vision might be to add in programs and services, this motion cannot and does not accomplish that. So I just want us to all be clear that that's what we're talking about here.

I do think there's a place for us working with the department in terms of their business plans and the way they do things to try to encourage more on the ground...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Overall, I definitely appreciate that the department seems to have gone through with a fine tooth comb looking for reductions and efficiencies to be found, and some of them seem to make sense. But what I am struggling to see is a clear vision for what we are trying to achieve besides saving money and being more efficient. And the message that comes out to me is that we're committing to do more with less. You know, we're shaving off here and there, we're making do, we're doing more with less, which could be possible, but my main concern is that we actually know what we're...

Okay. I mean, my next question is what tools does the Minister have to be able to hold the board of governors of Aurora College accountable to actually finish the transition to a polytechnic university by a certain date given that their funding is coming from our budget? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions, again, are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, but this time I want to ask about Aurora College and the transition to a polytechnic university.

So the college has announced that the transition to a polytechnic university will be significantly delayed. And we hear from the college that it's because of inadequate funding from governments. We hear from the ECE Minister that it's up to the board of governors now, they're arm's length. So my question to the Minister is who can we hold accountable for the delay in the polytechnic transition...

That's me. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. As a bit of background, when children are learning -- struggling to learn to speak or communicate or read, speech language pathologists can provide critical assistance and tools for these kids. And HSS is responsible for providing speech language pathology services that include hospital-based services, travel clinics, preschool therapy, school-aged therapy, and elder care. While only a few years ago, we used to have fully staffed SLP teams in Inuvik, Fort Smith, Hay River, and Yellowknife...

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. And what about court services, will that budget need to increase too?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do appreciate the Minister's commitment to review this. And we'll just leave it there for now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm encouraged to hear that, and I think that we could -- that's a promising start and that we could still find a path forward. So I'll leave it there for today. Thank you, Mr. Chair.