David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am just wondering, through you to the Minister, how, under the definition that I have been supplied by the department, does a float nurse, who is required to have the skills, knowledge and ability to work in various specialty areas, not earn as much as a nurse in a specialty area. That does not make sense to me, Mr. Speaker. I am just wondering if the Minister had an answer for that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have spoken at length about this and I will try to keep this short. I wonder how the government can spend in this special warrant, what amounts to $3.4 million. Cumulatively, over three years, it was $6.6 million without any public debate or stakeholder consultation taking place for this expenditure. It boggles my mind, Mr. Chairman, how this can happen. In a city the size of Yellowknife with our airport being the hub of the North – sorry, Jane, Mrs. Groenewegen – the airport serves a vital function here in Yellowknife. For the government not to consult with the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nurses need our support in trying to correct what has happened at Stanton. It doesn’t happen in Hay River. It doesn’t happen in Inuvik and, as a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, it doesn’t happen anywhere else in the country. Why would a government, in good conscious, set out to drive a wedge between our nursing staff at Stanton? Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time on today’s order paper, I will have questions for the Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess if that’s government practice to spend this much money on an 1,800 square foot office location, that to me looks fairly exorbitant, really. I don’t know if there are going to be gold-plated doorknobs or gold-plated toilet seats in this place, but it begs the question of what is the money going to be spent on? One-hundred-fifteen-thousand dollars on an 1,800 square foot office space? It’s an awful lot of money to be spending on an office. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Ms. Lee, further questions?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Is the Minister aware of what that portion of the leasehold improvements the landlord will be paying is? Thank you.

Ms. Lee, that is a bit of an aside from what we are talking about, but I will allow the question. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I find it difficult to imagine that the Minister is unaware of what’s happening in his department in terms of wrongful dismissal suits. I would also like to know what measures are currently underway to get the amount of overtime being paid out at North Slave Correctional Centre under control. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.