Glen Abernethy

Mr. Speaker, one of the goals this Assembly set out to achieve almost two years ago is a healthy, educated people free from poverty. To move towards this goal, the Premier committed to the development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy.

In June I had the pleasure of tabling Building on the Strengths of Northerners: A Strategic Framework Toward the Elimination of Poverty in the NWT. This framework provides a roadmap for us to work in collaboration with our partners, to eliminate poverty in our communities.

The development of this document was a joint effort led by a steering committee made up of...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 19, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2013, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, one of the things I encourage all staff to do when they know they’re coming up to the end of their employment is obviously to have a discussion with the benefits officer. If they have a discussion with their benefits officer prior to their last day, they can usually streamline the process a little bit so that people know how urgent it is; this person isn’t going to be having a job, they’re going to be going on EI. I would encourage all employees of the GNWT, when they know that they’re coming up to their end date, to talk to their benefits officer so that we can get these dealt...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A record of employment is required after many situations. If an employee has interrupted earnings of over seven days, they are required to be provided with a record of employment. When an employee’s salary falls below 60 percent of their weekly earnings, they are supposed to be provided with a record of employment. When an employee declares bankruptcy, a record of employment is required, and there are a lot of other reasons why a record of employment is required.

The requirement is that a record of employment is provided within five calendar days of the last day of the...

Thank you. Certainly an intriguing idea and if it’s something committee wants us to look at I’m certainly willing to.

Having said that, the Regional Recruitment Program that we’re talking about here is actually a program designed to help people from the communities and the regions obtain employment with the GNWT and it will be a valuable tool as we devolve positions throughout the Northwest Territories because it will help those individuals who feel or may not qualify for jobs. They’ve developed the on-the-job training and skills they need to get jobs, but with respect to Mrs. Groenewegen’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that we’re looking at a location for that and I think right now I believe we’re looking at Fort Smith and I think we’ve already got somebody who has been identified as a reasonable and suitable candidate. But I will confirm, for the Member, that information. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 17, Apology Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that’s a very difficult question to answer because every situation is going to be different. Obviously, we want to work with our employees and find ways to bring them back into the workforce, rather than having to go to that final step of termination. So we tend to work with our employees, try to accommodate them where appropriate, reasonable and feasible. If all things fail and the person has to be terminated or let go based on their condition, we work with the employee to try and figure out the best way. But at the end of it, an ROE is still five days, so we still have to find a...

Yes, Mr. Chairman.