Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson
Hay River South

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Justice confirm how many outreach legal workers we have in the NWT and what their role is when it comes it dispensing legal advice information and how are small communities accommodated in that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I guess with the additional cost, was there any design changes in the building associated with that extra cost. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 83)

Thank you, Madam Chair. So I guess I would ask is that those projects that -- are they being deferred, or are they not going to happen at all? Are we looking at putting that money back in, because I think there was a building there for Hay River that I'm concerned about and knowing the state of the existing one. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to GNWT employees or contractors entering small communities, will the community have a veto power over or on whether or not persons have to be vaccinated even though some community residents remain unvaccinated? I ask that because in this past week, we had a couple contractors from Hay River go in to a small community one day and they did some work. Next day, they went in and they were told to leave because they were unvaccinated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm how many GNWT employees are currently vaccinated? Better yet, can she provide those numbers by department and how many may require accommodation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the residents of the NWT have stepped up when it comes to protecting each other from the serious and deadly effects of the COVID19 virus. Our vaccination rate, as it stands now, is about 80 percent for those over the age of 12 years.

Mr. Speaker, I have been healthy all my life. I have resisted taking medication. I only just received my second ever flu shot along with my during the 19th Moderna vaccine booster. I did this for the protection of my family, my friends, and those who I come in contact with. In making my decision to be vaccinated, I had to rely...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Minister for that answer. But it still -- I guess I still have a hard time wrapping my head around when she says that, you know, we send employees in there, and I know we're concerned about the small communities, or any community and about all people, but if we send in unvaccinated people, we're sending in vaccinated people as well who can still pass on the virus. So -- and I know in some of the GNWT policies is that if you're going to go in, you've got to be tested. So I would expect that vaccinated people would be tested as well.

But any ways, the...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to COVID-19 and the devastation it's caused, you know, I'm concerned that, you know, I don't want to see people die, I don't want to see people sick, I don't want to see them in the hospital, but at the same time I also don't want to see people unemployed. And in the Northwest Territories, we have a number of people that are working with the Power Corporation, the government, the

Housing Corporation, private sector. And many of them are in the position to lose their jobs. Many of these people are long-term northerners, they're Indigenous, and I...

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, has the department considered the cost associated with accommodation, including the Northwest Territories Power Corporation and the NWT Housing Corporation, and can the Minister provide those costs. Thank you.

Debates of , 19th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 81)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the questions are for the Minister of Finance. I'd like to know how is information being disseminated to GNWT management, GNWT employees and contractors, on whether or not they need to be vaccinated or have the option of PPE when on the work site. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.