Floyd Roland

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, seeing that this is the last day of session, I must say I look forward to traveling back home to Inuvik. It has been some time since I’ve been back home and I especially look forward to taking part in the Samuel Hearne Secondary School graduation ceremonies that are taking place on June 11th, and look forward to taking part with the graduates there and wish them the best, as well.

Of course, I look forward to just the everyday visits I get from the good people of Inuvik. So I’m looking forward to going home and wish everybody here safe journeys back...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Earlier in a Member’s statement just a few moments ago, Mr. Ramsay had, as I see it, made allegations against me saying I circumvented the rules. Under 23(h) of our rules, I believe that is an infraction. I have listened to some of the Members and their comments and felt that they have pushed the envelope. I feel at this point I have to rise on this point of order. We followed the rules and I tried to explain what had happened. I believe in this House now making that allegation against me is not appropriate. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2005-2006, be read for the third time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on May 26, 2005, regarding alcohol sales and revenue.

The Northwest Territories Liquor Commission tracks sales of alcoholic beverages made by liquor outlets in the Northwest Territories. The data provided is for the 2004-05 fiscal year, the latest complete fiscal year for which data is available.

Total sales of alcoholic beverages from the Norman Wells Liquor Store were $1.884 million and $37.724 million for the Northwest Territories as a whole.

Revenue from the Norman Wells Liquor Store contributed 4.9 percent...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, with the branch being extended about working together, I am always willing to work with the Members of this Assembly on the rules that we use. In fact, as a result of the questioning and some of the confusion about what applies in the guidelines that are used, I intend to and have talked with my Cabinet colleagues and intend to strengthen section 302 of the FAM document to make it formal, that the communication be done in writing instead of being in the area of consulting. Consulting is a number of things; where it’s a discussion in the hall, in a...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the formal process of reporting to this Assembly is through a number of bills. For example, if projects change between one department from funding allocated to another, there’s a list of interdepartmental transfer activities that is tabled in this House. For the year end where we have to carry projects over into the new fiscal year, we have to come back to the House for the approvals to carry those projects over to a new year. Those are the formal processes that we have in place. For programs that change in a year from one capital program to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would take this information, I will check into it to see what may be done. Since all of these employees have started working already, it may be a bit difficult, but I will look into it and see what information we have and I will provide that to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I am unaware of the changes that impact the seasonal firefighters as the Member has stated. The payroll changes that we have implemented across the Territories sees a delay or an advance being paid to all employees and then a portion of those being drawn back. I am not aware of the details of how that would specifically affect the firefighters, so I will have to get that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, once again, the Member initially started saying, “in his opinion,” but again he has clearly stated not just now about the Finance Minister but Cabinet has circumvented the rules. I believe that’s inaccurate. We have laid down the specific situation in this House to the public about the situation. There may be feelings of certain Members that they don’t like the result of what happened, that we’ve circumvented the rules, we have broken the rules that are in place, I don’t believe we have done that and I look forward to your decision on this. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am pleased to announce that the GNWT and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association have negotiated and ratified a new three-year collective agreement.

This new agreement will improve the competitiveness of the GNWT in recruiting and retaining teachers and administrators, while also focusing attention on key issues such as aboriginal languages.

The new agreement will result in a restructuring of the teachers' pay grid over three years to provide more consistency. The minimum pay increase will be three percent. Additionally, employees with more experience and...