Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories, as well as Aboriginal governments with settled land claims, have authority in areas such as air quality and wildlife. The Government of the Northwest Territories is currently negotiating increased management authority for land and water. The committee recognizes the current Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act as a strong federal law, designed by Northerners, that allows for control of the pace and scale of development. A policy on hydraulic fracturing is needed to supplement provisions in the Mackenzie Valley Resources...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member’s statement, I am concerned with addictions in the Northwest Territories and the lack of productivity it’s causing in our industries. My questions are going to be for the Minister of ITI.

Has the Department of ITI had any involvement with a drug and alcohol program for industry?

Madam Chair, the importance of the changes here is to make it a little more… It is updating it. We are not consistent with all of the jurisdictions, but it is modernizing it. It is only the second director that we have in the position, so we are looking to modernize ourselves. Are we consistent with every jurisdiction? Every jurisdiction is a little bit different and ours is special in its own way.

Yes, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 39(2) and have Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, No. 3, moved into Committee of the Whole today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS Section 48(1) of the Human Rights Act provides for the establishment of an adjudication panel composed of at least three persons, appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS Section 48(5) of the Human Rights Act provides that the members of the panel hold office, during good behaviour, for a term of four years, with the exception of the first members appointed;

AND WHEREAS the appointments of two of the adjudication panel members expired on October 31, 2012;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management has considered a number...

I’m glad the Minister understands the problem here. My question is, though – the diamond mines have been here for a long time, for many years – what programs has his department worked with the diamond mines, for example, to get these people in the Northwest Territories to the job to be able to contribute to the economy of the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleagues have indicated, addictions are a large concern for this government and for the country of Canada. As a strong advocate for economic development, increasing jobs, and the economy in the North, I believe that addictions are affecting us a great deal in this area as well.

This government will often ask where will we find the money, how can we afford to do this? How can we afford not to do this? What would the Northwest Territories gross domestic production be like if we didn’t have addictions? How many people have addictions that allow them not to stay at...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will not be supporting this motion. The department has given us the justification of why this position needs to be a lawyer and the clause opens us up to potential difficulties in hiring this position. When we’re looking to hire the position there may be opportunities, if there are no lawyers, that the people with lesser qualifications could fulfill this position, but in essence, the department has indicated that there are legal issues that this position does and is responsible for. Then if we don’t have a lawyer in that position, there will be additional costs to the...

As I have indicated, many seniors are struggling to keep up to these increased costs, and some believe that they’re in a situation of poverty. Is the department looking at adding any new incentives for seniors to keep them off the demand of our facilities, which we know is going to be increasing over the next few years? Is there anything that the government is doing to implement new programs for seniors to stay in their homes?