David Ramsay

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?

Mr. Speaker, I can advise the Minister that it is well over a million dollars that we have spent on consultants and contractors to work on the file of the Deh Cho Bridge project.

I am wondering if the Minister can supply the House with the reason why the Government of the Northwest Territories would bear the full cost of consultants and contractors looking at the Deh Cho Bridge project when the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation should be responsible for that level of work.

I did the math. It adds up to $242 million. It’s $4.5 million a year indexed over 35 years. It comes out to an investment of $242 million. That’s the real math. That’s the real math, Mr. Speaker.

Interjection.

I thought I heard what I heard. Again, I’ll have to read Hansard again tomorrow when it comes out to see exactly what it was the Premier had said.

I was watching earlier when the Premier mentioned that…. You know, this might not have been caught in Hansard, but he said that I was misleading the House because he pointed at me and said I was responsible for the $242 million figure.

Interjection.

Yes, I do, Mr, Speaker.

Mr. Minister, what immediate actions will you be taking to improve the morale and the overall functionality and credibility of the Department of Human Resources?

Mr. Speaker, all of the items I’ve listed here in my previous questions are the realities that exist today in the Department of Human Resources. All of the MLAs on this side of the House, or most of them, have received disturbing stories from constituents on the realities of working at or receiving services from the Department of Human Resources.

Is the Minister of Human Resources aware of the realities within the Department of Human Resources and the concerns of staff and the public?

Mr. Speaker, I've got some questions again today for the Minister of Human Resources.

The first question is: are micromanagement, retribution and dictatorial leadership effective ways of leading healthy and functional organizations or departments?