Julie Green

Mr. Chair, last year, the Government of Canada announced that non-taxable allowances paid to politicians would become taxable as of January 1st this year. Currently, all Members are paid an allowance of roughly $7,500 to cover miscellaneous expenses that are not reimbursable from their constituency budgets. MLAs are constantly called upon to provide financial assistance to constituents, attend public events that charge a fee, purchase raffle tickets, and participate in silent auctions, to name a few items. They are often called upon to buy meals or coffee for constituents or to travel within...

Mr. Chair, this recommendation, as well as the next two, address the supports that are provided to Members who do not return to the next Assembly. They propose development of an exit strategy for Members and allow them to access support services for up to a year after they leave office. This particular motion calls for the development of an exit strategy for outgoing Members to address such issues as the avoidance of conflicts of interest in their post-retirement life, the disposal of public assets and equipment, records management and disposal, and an understanding of the tax implications of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Every Member of this House is supported in their work by hardworking and dedicated constituency assistants. These employees are the only ones who work in this building without access to health and dental benefits. The motion allows some flexibility to Members who may wish to tailor the work of their assistants to meet their unique circumstances. If adopted, this motion will provide direction to the board of management to negotiate a benefits plan with Northern Employee Benefits Services that both the Member and the constituency assistant will contribute to. Mr. Chair, I...

Masi, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to provide opening comments on this matter. In October 2017, an independent commission was established by the Speaker to review Members' compensation and benefits. This review is a requirement of Section 35.1 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act and routinely takes place within the first two years of a newly elected Assembly. The 18th Assembly's commission was comprised of three members: Mr. Norman Yakelaya, who was the commission chair; Ms. Donna Allen; and Mr. John Hazenberg.

In August 2018, the commission submitted its report to the Speaker who...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the motion be amended by striking out the words "increased from $3,194 to $6,296 per year" and substituting the words "consistent with that pay to other standing committee terrace." Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to try to refocus the Minister. The department provides a modest amount of start-up money. It provides subsidies for operators. It provides money for staff. We do not have the space to put the children in. We don't have the space. My question for the Minister is: how is she going to improve the supply of spaces, physical spaces, for children who need childcare? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the indemnity for extra duty for the chair of the Rules and Procedures Committee be increased from $3,194 to $6,296 per year.

I will just say briefly: I am not sure the Minister fully understands basic income. What I want to talk about is childcare. What we know is that the cost of finding and renovating space or building space from scratch for the non-profits who currently provide childcare is not affordable, even with the $35,000 that the department offers. My question is: what more funding can the government offer childcare providers in order to provide this essential service?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that, if it is decided to not pay for the same level of medical travel, health, dental and life insurance benefits for all Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the additional paid benefits for the Speaker and Ministers be removed from their benefit package and the Speaker and Ministers become responsible for paying for that benefit; and further, that all Members of the Legislative Assembly would then receive the extended healthcare benefit and level 1 of the hospital benefit at no cost.

I'm going to explain it.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have spoken many times in this House about the need for accessible and affordable childcare. It is one of our mandate commitments, but during the life of this Assembly there has been a growing crisis of supply of licensed childcare here in Yellowknife.

There are two issues that stand in the way of easing this supply problem. The first is that licensed childcare provides modest income to providers. This is the reason that licensed childcare is usually provided by non-profits. The introduction of JK has taken a toll, even on non-profit childcare. It took kids over three out...