David Ramsay

Mr. Speaker, I’m wondering if the Minister can also commit to looking at grievances and the length of time it takes for employees to have grievances heard. As I mentioned, I’m aware of some that are two or two and a half years in duration. That’s unacceptable, and I want to hear from the Minister what he has in terms of adding some accountability to that process.

Mr. Speaker, I’m wondering. The Minister had mentioned the standards that they adhere to. Is that from time to time, I wonder? I’m aware of it sometimes taking months to fill positions. I’m wondering if the Minister could look at putting in an accountability factor and looking at a Web-based competition status so that people who are applying for jobs know exactly where that competition is at.

Yesterday in response to a question I had asked on the realities of working at the Department of Human Resources, the Minister said they had reduced the backlog of final pays by 50 per cent. To my knowledge the backlog has been there since the department was first formed two years ago. So 50 per cent, Mr. Speaker, is nothing to be proud of.

What about grievances? How is the department dealing with grievances? I’m aware of some that are at least two and a half years outstanding. Is this an acceptable standard? Has the Minister talked to any of the front-line staff at Human Resources? I remember...

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 9, written questions.

Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker. I want to weigh in on this point of order. I believe Mrs. Groenewegen does have a point of order. When the Premier can stand in this House and say that the banks are solely responsible for that $160 million, it’s not true. It’s not true, Mr. Speaker.

I believe the Government of the Northwest Territories is indemnifying….

Interjection.

I guess they didn’t want to work there either, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Human Resources should be the example to which all departments are compared. They should be the most transparent with respect to the application of human resources policies and procedures. After all, they’re the ones who provide HR advice to all departments, boards and agencies of the G.N.W.T. Clearly there’s a lack of confidence among the public and the public service that the Department of HR is living up to this standard. The inadequacies within the department….

Yes, the Department of Human Resources is what I’m referring to. I’m wondering: are random searches of staff offices, monitoring of e-mail, excessive use of discipline and fear of reprisal for acting in the best interests of clients and of the public effective ways to motivate and increase the productivity in that department?

Again I would say that it would only take us three years to be back in the same fiscal situation that we find ourselves in today.

I question the logic of causing so much pain and agony when there was a need to base our decisions on solid data, not what departments are willing to sacrifice. How exactly will this plan leave Members three and a half years from now in the 17th Assembly? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, the last government showed a blatant disregard for residents here in Yellowknife and in the North Slave Region by not going out to stakeholders that were going to be impacted by the construction of this bridge project. This government is doing the same thing. It’s a blatant disregard for people when you don’t provide the evidence that is going to indicate the cost of living is not going to go up.

Again, I’m going to ask the Minister: has he got any proof or evidence outside of this study that was done five years ago that indicates that the cost of living in the North Slave Region...

Mr. Speaker, I wasn’t going to ask another question, but I’ll have to ask one more question here.

What evidence has the Minister of Transportation got at his disposal that is going to indicate to him that the cost of living will not go up with the building of the Deh Cho Bridge at Fort Providence?