Robert Villeneuve

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to commend the CEO for coming out with a good comprehensive report and some good recommendations on the elections procedures and the option that the office of the CEO can assist municipalities and First Nations local governments in their elections procedures so that they are in accordance or in line with what the government practices.

I just wanted to mention something about the fixed election date. I know there was some discussion about whether a fixed election date should be established or whether it’s an item that hasn’t been really agreed to by the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is about the application of the affirmative action policy in the GNWT. Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue several times during this Third Session and feel the need to continue to raise this issue, given the circumstances around this issue and that the consolidation of the human resource function in the government is currently in the development stage and I cannot see a better time to address this ongoing concern.

Mr. Speaker, the affirmative action report published in 2004 says that corporate human resources implemented the Management...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also request unanimous consent to waive Rule 58 to allow Motion 34-15(3) to proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise briefly to speak on this motion and I would like to thank the Member for raising this issue and commend his diligence on initiating a review of the WCB department and management regime.

Mr. Speaker, I am supportive of this motion due to the fact that I have received numerous enquiries and concerns about the WCB over the past year just with respect to the unfair treatment of some of the WCB clients and the total lack of proper accountability and mechanisms in the department.

I could mention many cases and circumstances that people are dealing with, as my friend...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, March 14, 2005, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that the following appointments be rescinded:

Mr. Robert Hawkins, Member for Yellowknife Centre, to the Standing Committee on Social Programs;

Mr. Robert Villeneuve, Member for Tu Nedhe, to the Board of Management as an alternate; and,

Mr. Norman Yakeleya, Member for Sahtu, to the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development as an alternate.

And further that the following appointments be affected:

Mr...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the final supplementary of Minister Roland that the information that was gathered from the 140 people that were interviewed and applied for the MAP program, if that information is available to Members. If not, why not? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to the plan when it does come to committee. Just on the affirmative action policy, Mr. Speaker, the honourable Minister Roland did mention that the MAP program and the applicants that the MAP program does accept undergo a rigorous assessment process. Mr. Speaker, I understand part of the process is a series of tests. Will the Minister confirm that these tests that are there for the northern applicants were actually designed by a highly-paid consultant from the South who doesn’t even live in the North, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Well, Mr. Speaker, I cannot sit down and allow this to happen and I will be asking the Minister responsible for the FMBS more questions at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to reiterate my support for the first Monday in November, I guess just so that all Members are aware that I know September 1st hunting season opens and usually goes right to the middle or toward the middle of October. So that’s totally out of line with what NWT residents would expect. Everybody is out on the land, and unless we can get the polling stations out on the land then I would go for the first week in October, but I still stand by the first week of November. Thank you.