Robert Villeneuve

Tu Nedhe

Statements in Debates

Debates of , (day 18)

After the list was sent to various government departments, I have received many inquiries from potential and very qualified aboriginal employees who have been in the government for long periods of time, some even having trained some of the individuals on the list as to why they were not considered eligible to take part in this management program.

Mr. Speaker, although the first 25 participants in this program have yet to receive any type of extra duties or responsibilities to prepare them for the higher level of positions after one year, I have received notice that this program is once again...

Debates of , (day 18)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the program is basically designed to run for 24 to 48 months and not guaranteeing jobs at the senior level when they complete the program. I have received some information from what I would term eligible candidates for the program that in the second round of selections, many of these applicants that have submitted applications to the first round of participants in the program are basically taking the attitude now that they will not apply for the second round of program eligibility due to the fact that they, and I quote, a lot of them say “why bother because we...

Debates of , (day 18)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure which Minister to direct this question to because I am not sure what department the management assignment program falls under. But since all the applications do go to the corporate human resource services office, I guess that would be under the offices of the Executive. So let me ask the Premier what the new management assignment program that the government is currently undertaking, which comprises a two-phase assessment component to find some eligible participants that are willing to complete the program. I just want to ask the Premier who is on this...

Debates of , (day 18)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about a program this government has been initiating to prepare government employees to advance to higher level government positions like deputy ministers, directors and managers.

Mr. Speaker, the management assignment program, which started last year, selected 25 participants to take part in this important initiative. Out of the 25 people selected for the first round of this program, Mr. Speaker, I only saw one aboriginal person on this list of eligible participants.

Debates of , (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to go back to the letter. There is another point in the letter that basically the Minister stated that no further action is planned until the various allegations on APYS have been thoroughly investigated. I just want to ask the Minister if there are any other reports with regard to the allegations and whether they have been completed. In particular, a report from the Alberta Association of Rehab Centres, and if that report is available if I can receive a copy, because the only one that I got is the Office of the Public Guardian’s, Mr. Speaker. Thank you...

Debates of , (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to recognize a friend and former colleague of mine in the gallery, Mr. Gerry Cheezie, the manager of the housing projects in Ndilo.

---Applause

Debates of , (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to reiterate some of the comments my colleagues were speaking about in regard to Mr. Zoe’s actions, and the fact that he did accept the criticism from his peers in the taking away of his portfolios. I think that stands in itself that’s enough to discredit Mr. Zoe of what he has done or what he may have not done. I think with his public apology and his promise for restitution and seeking his own healing, that Mr. Zoe is going in the right direction. I have to agree with Mr. McLeod’s comments that the motion is a non-confidence motion, which I myself...

Debates of , (day 16)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure whether all the facts in the case of the nine clients in Alberta have all been analyzed and are really known at this point, because we are having a lot of different stories coming out of the APYS version, and the Office of the Public Guardian in regard to their report, which probably gives APYS a pretty good grade in their standards and proper care of these clients. I was just wondering if any weight was given to the Office of the Public Guardian’s report in the Minister’s decision to ask and request the relocation of our NWT clients. Thank you.

Debates of , (day 16)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I was just talking about earlier in my Member’s statement, I just wanted to go back to the Honourable Michael Miltenberger’s statement in last week's session on the treatment of the clients with developmental disabilities. I feel that when the honourable Member stated that is not our role to get involved in disagreements in the internal wranglings and differences between institutions and the Alberta government, and whatever other agencies are in Alberta, I believe that statement is not in compliance with the government policy. I think it is our role, Mr. Speaker, to...

Debates of , (day 16)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I just want to reiterate some of the concerns I raised during last week’s session. These concerns are with denying persons with developmental disabilities in Edmonton, Alberta, who were receiving care and are now not receiving financial support from this government. Mr. Speaker, this is NWT Disability Awareness Week 2004 with the theme being, “Remember to Include Everyone - We All Benefit.” That being said, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to say that it seems that this government has not included everyone and that the nine clients and their families that we did...