Kevin O'Reilly

Merci, Madame la Presidente. I support part of this bill. I support the emergency leave provisions that are being brought forward. In fact, I think it probably can and should have been done as part of an omnibus bill as part of our response to the COVID pandemic.

The part of the bill that causes me great concern is the exceptions to that it may provide for large layoffs. Currently, in the Legislation, if an employer has more than 50 employees, four weeks' notice is required, eight weeks if it's between 50 and 100 employees, 12 weeks between 100 and 300, 16 weeks if it's 300 or more employees...

The reason why I'm raising this, of course, is the French daycare Galerie Plein Soleil is actually located in one of our schools, something that I think we're trying to aim for in ensuring that we make good use of our school spaces, as well, and collocate daycares. As I understand it, there was to be a dramatic improvement in the use of space in the current daycare. That would add six spaces, and then a second phase would add additional spaces. Of course, increasing daycare spaces is a priority of the 19th Assembly, and so I think we're missing out on this cost-shared opportunity. When will...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Can I just get a little bit more detail on the split here between Education, Culture and Employment and Finance? What specifically are these funds for with the Department of Finance, and what do they have to do with safely reopening schools? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. You got it right. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 217-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 217-19(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am going to keep this pretty short. This and the previous bill got moved into committee vote because I think they are largely non-controversial changes. On this one, it would be my preference that this issue of having lawyers getting restricted appearance certificates if this new process was just during the pandemic, but I understand that the profession wants this done on a permanent basis. I am not going to stand in the way of that, but it is kind of unusual that we move these straight into Committee of the Whole. Given that it's, as I said, non-controversial and I think...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I want to thank the Minister for that detail. There's three streams. Can the Minister provide some detail as to how much is within each of those streams and if there's flexibility to move money within the streams should demand warrant? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Merci, Madame la Presidente. I give notice that on Thursday, November 5, 2020, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho that the appointment of Mrs. Freida Martselos to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment be revoked; and further, now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North that Mr. Steve Norn be appointed as an alternate member to the Standing Committee on Government Operations. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the sentiment of my colleague from Yellowknife North in bringing this forward. I feel that I have got sufficient commitments from the Minister of Finance that there is going to be regular financial variance reporting that is going to allow us to monitor. I will hold their feet to the fire in terms of expenditures of funding for COVID secretariat functions between now and the end of the year. I take the Premier's commitments at face value, again, that a process has been started to look at ways to reduce the self-isolation centre costs and to reduce the mental and...

Merci, Madame la Presidente. I love this new Minister. This is great. In a presentation earlier this year to the Standing Committee on Social Development, the NWT seniors said that they are ready to work with the new Minister, or the Minister responsible for seniors I think they've got a great ally, now, but how does the Minister propose to collaborate with the society and other stakeholders on the development and implementation of a new seniors' strategy during a pandemic? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I know it's been a long day and long evening, but I am concerned with some of the remarks that I heard. I think I do not support personal attacks on the Premier. This is not about the Premier's vanity, and I do not accept those kinds of remarks being made in the House. I just don't think that they are appropriate.

This is not another bureaucracy. This is continuing functions that have been going on since March, April, May. This is not a new bureaucracy. This is continuing the efforts of our government attempting to respond to a public health emergency. This is unprecedented...