David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger. I go back to my Member's statement when I spoke of coroner's jury recommendations on the fact that the Northwest Territories and the city of Yellowknife needs a medical detox facility. I don’t know if the government and the Minister do not pay heed to coroner's juries or Regular Members, and I know it was an issue in the 14th Assembly and I know it’s an issue in the 15th Assembly, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering what it is going to take for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about the need for a medical detox facility in Yellowknife. I’d like to talk about this subject because I don’t want Archie Tsetta and Vawn Ruthven, who are two of hundreds of northerners who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction problems, to have died in vain. Eighteen months ago, coroner's juries in both Ruthven’s and Tsetta’s case called for a medical detox facility, but the Minister of Health and Social Services has failed to respond to those recommendations. In response to a report calling again for a new addictions strategy...

Agreed. Thank you. If there is no other business in front of the committee, I will rise and report progress.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I just had a few comments on the Premier’s report on his Ottawa meetings. I just wanted to ask the Premier if he had the opportunity to look at setting up meetings with the leaders of Canada’s opposition parties, especially the Conservative Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party of Canada -- Mr. Layton and Mr. Harper -- and if he didn’t meet with those two gentlemen on this trip, when he might be looking at meeting with them. Thank you.

Does the committee agree that consideration of Minister’s Statement 49-15(3) is concluded?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is it the policy of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to purchase equipment valued at half-a-million dollars without proper warranties or service contracts attached to those pieces of equipment, because the two microturbines were only there for two years? Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the Premier can state that that’s the policy of the Power Corporation, that they don’t really mind if there is no warranty or guarantee on pieces of equipment that cost the Power Corporation half-a-million dollars. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. There wasn’t a specific question there. Mr. Premier, would you care to comment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for that, Mr. Minister. So I’m just wondering, and the Minister has spoken of the fact that they’re offered positions, but what is the Department of Education, Culture and Employment doing with the school boards in Yellowknife in terms of recruitment of teachers and why can’t some of these teachers that take the program that live in Yellowknife not get jobs in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Does committee agree that we consider Minister’s Statement 48-15(3)?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m wondering if the Minister could supply the Regular Members with the statistics that back up the claim that all northern graduates from the TEP have gotten employment in the Northwest Territories and are gainfully employed in the teaching profession, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.