Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know further from the Minister, I think the Department of Public Works is taking on more and more of a workload because it’s getting very expensive out in the marketplace and their workers are being pressed to be out in the communities more and more servicing equipment. So will the Minister look at extending this program to his department and look at extending it throughout the government to train our northern workers in this gap, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, there is a gap there when we want to address our front-line workers. We spent many months talking on the management side of things, the succession planning for our managers, the MAP program, et cetera. We have spent very little or no time at all how we are going to replace the front-line workers and that’s one of them. There is no one to replace the front-line workers. So if the Minister could tell me again if that policy is gone, is that what he’s talking about when he says it’s a new initiative, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this will be back to the Minister of Finance, it's just with the territorial power subsidy. Maybe just for clarification, does that include the commercial power rates in the Territorial Power Subsidy Program? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize a new constituent, a new regional director, Mr. Andrew Johnston, as well as former constituents Jim and Terry Villeneuve. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess one of the other ways that I have been trying to address this issue is the one-rate power zone and it's typically done through the general rate application. I don't know if the Minister of Finance has the information before him, but is there a general rate application going into the PUB shortly or this fall? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to make note that out of the 300 apprentices registered in the North each year, I don’t believe very many of them work for the government and I think our government should take the initiative and make spaces and time available to continue to train apprentices. Will the Minister commit to that, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if…May I seek unanimous consent to extend item 5, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this will be back to the Minister of Finance, it's just with the territorial power subsidy. Maybe just for clarification, does that include the commercial power rates in the Territorial Power Subsidy Program? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the honourable Minister of DPW with respect to the apprenticeship programs within the government department, particularly Public Works and Services. We do have tradespeople and journeymen people there. At one time, we did have an Apprenticeship Program where all our staff members would have apprentices. Is that program still in existence for our government, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess one of the other ways that I have been trying to address this issue is the one-rate power zone and it's typically done through the general rate application. I don't know if the Minister of Finance has the information before him, but is there a general rate application going into the PUB shortly or this fall? Thank you.